Snape Chronicles: Goblet of Fire
by RabidOrochimaruOtaku
Summary: Okay, so Kiru's a second year now. How will she react to Harry's name getting spit out by the Goblet? And what on earth has gotten into the Weasley's? Harry breaks down and people are killed, but which people survive the onslaught?
1. The Dark Mark

Chapter One – The Dark Mark

Harry and Kiru had been working on their homework all summer, and welcomed the invitations that they received to go to the Quidditch world cup. Ron had invited Harry, to which Molly would be arriving to apparate him and his things, and Draco had invited Kiru, to which Severus would be using apparition to get there himself and leaving her with the Weasley's. The Malfoy's hadn't liked the idea, but Snape persisted saying that he'd rather have Kiru and Harry together and safe since he was told to keep an eye on the young Gryffindor.

"Mom, I don't want to," Harry heard Ginny whine.

"Ginny, we have no choice. We need this, and what it will give us," he heard Molly hiss.

"Mum, Harry's one of us," Ginny argued.

"Ginny, shut up. You're just upset because you were infatuated with him," Fred and George smirked, while Percy shushed them both, upset that they'd wake Harry. Too late for that, Percy – it was _way _too late for that.

"Molly, what if I lose my job?" Arthur whined. "Although, yes, you're right we'd be able to retire if we did this right…"

"How could you say that? I trusted you," he heard Hermione sob. "I trusted all of you. And Professor Snape trusted you!"

"Shut up, Hermione," he heard Ron say. "Snape's a git who's brainwashed Harry into being a Death Eater. Besides, everyone in the school knows that Snape's a death eater, too."

Harry was extremely cautious, and had asked Mrs. Weasley to apparate him to Diagon Alley, saying he'd forgotten something important that he'd wanted to get Snape for his birthday (which was nowhere nearby). There, he'd snuck off, bought another couple bezoars, and a few rare other Potions ingredients, knowing he'd be able to get away with it and she would just think the two bezoars were for Severus. Soon after, he packed it all up, except the bezoars, and had her shrink it for him.

Needless to say, they both had the times of their lives, and Kiru could have sworn that she saw someone in an invisibility cloak with a house elf appear. Sadly, nobody but Draco believed her, and chaos had ensued as a result. The dark mark was seen out in the forest that Harry had run to, while she herself had fled to hide under the stands and in one of the quidditch lockers. Being a sly girl, nobody caught her, but unfortunately nobody came for her either. She could hear the extremely muffled sounds of the chaos, and after a few hours heard the sounds dying down and eventually, the howling of the winds.

Molly Weasley had panicked, having promised Severus and herself that she'd keep Harry safe, and here he was being accused of conjuring the dark mark. Well, luckily Barty Crouch had known that even a house elf could do so if given a wand, and had promptly fired his poor female house elf, who'd burst into a fit of tears and refused to be calmed. A brunette female had appeared then, apparated right next to Harry, and had surveyed the scene all too calmly.

After analyzing everything, she explained what she saw happened in the footprints, and even revealed a second, larger pair that weren't Harry's eerily close to where his wand had been picked up. She explained that it was possible a death eater was using an invisibility cloak, or had apparated, but she vouched for the former. One look at the desperate and horrified house-elf, and she knew what to do and what was needed. She calmly walked over to the house elf, muttering into its bat-like ear gently and rubbing its back just as a mother would a crying child.

"Winky," the house elf hiccupped. "Winky can't leave Master Crouch. He needs her!"

"Oh, shut up you worthless heap of garbage," he spat as he went to kick her, but the woman stopped him, yanking up on his leg so that her arm was straight up. "Let go of me, you pompous bitch!"

"No," she spat. "Winky has done nothing wrong except to obey your orders with exactness, and this is how you repay her? You should be ashamed of yourself. If you won't take Winky home, then I will. I could use a house elf to help keep an eye on my three stepchildren."

Harry saw where this was going, realized that this was Chessie, but a completely separate version of her somehow. He didn't know what had hardened her like this, but knowing Snape, it had something to do with him. Either that, or the childish act was a defensive front, or she was simply acting childish and or serious because she felt like it, or she was possibly bipolar. He frowned at the number of options he had, and also came up with the idea that she was only like this when angered. It was the first time he'd seen her angry, that was sure. Kiru was nowhere to be seen, and the Potions Master was probably panicking over his missing child.

"Arthur, where's Harry?" Snape questioned, and the redhead swallowed and looked at a nearby forest in answer. "Fine, since that's where _she _is. Where's Kiru?"

"I don't know, I thought she was with the Malfoy's," Arthur said stiffly, and for the first time since Harry was in diapers, Snape panicked.

"Kiru!" he yelled out, other parents apparently having the same idea. "Kiru! Where are you, damn it! Lucius! Draco!"

"Uncle Sev!" he heard Draco's voice from his left, and jerked in the boy's direction. He could see the fear in his eyes, and pushed through the throng to get to his pupil. "I'm sorry! I lost Kiru when they set off the Dark Mark. She panicked; I think she ran back to the stadium, for hell knows why."

"The stadium it is, then," Severus growled, pulling his godson along behind him. He stopped short, apparated back into Kiru's backyard (she hadn't sold the house yet, and it was now empty) and raced Draco through the house and across the street. "Draco, do not leave this living room. Dudley, don't you _even think _about leaving that cupboard!"

"My lips are sealed, Professor," Draco promised, and the potions master nodded before apparating back into the chaos. He saw Narcissa looking for Draco, and knew that he'd be forgiven for looking for his own child first. He could explain that he'd dragged Draco along to keep him safe as they looked for Kiru elsewhere.

He raced into the now-bereft stands, dead bodies strewn out occasionally, but none of them being small enough to be her, and if they were, they didn't have her hair color. There were a few that he could have sworn were her, but weren't. Desperate, he stayed out well past dark, praying that none of the Death Eaters had killed her or worse – kidnapped her. finally, with almost nowhere else to look, he left the stands with a heavy heart. He'd failed in his duties as a parent, and didn't deserve to father another child, not until the war was long since over.

"Professor Snape," a familiar voice said, and he turned to find one of the others from the first years that he taught at Hogwarts. "I – you still teach at Hogwarts, right?" Snape nodded. "Well, I heard screaming and panicking from inside, but I wasn't sure if I should use magic to get in. It's banned from everyone except family of those who've gotten inside, but the wards don't work on those who are underage and haven't flown on a broom in a Quidditch match."

They neared the dressing rooms, and all that could be heard was the sound of their feet. Snape's student paused, and Snape turned back to him. The woman put her hand up to show him that she couldn't continue, and Snape realized what this meant. Kiru was somewhere in this room! He waved his wand and unlocked the first locker – nothing. The second ten lockers also wielded nothing. Frustrated, he banged his foot on the ground, but instead heard the sound of a small fist against metal. He moved towards the sound, popping open another locker, and Kiru stumbled into his arms clumsily.

"Kiru, my baby, oh my _hime_…" he murmured gently into her ear. "It's alright, Kiru. I've got you, I'm not letting you go till we get home." She clung to him for dear life, fearful, and he squeezed her back as he looked at his former pupil. "Thank you. I can't thank you enough for helping me find my only child."

"No problem," she said with a smile. "I'd want someone to do the same for mine. I think we should get out of here, just so problems don't arise and little ones don't fall asleep on their daddy's shoulders."

"I don't care," Snape breathed. "She's safe, that's what matters. Speaking of which, I should probably go tell an old friend of mine that _I_ found _his _only child."

"Best of luck with the upcoming students, Professor," she grinned. Snape sighed, and held on tightly to Kiru to apparate her home. He set her on the couch, putting his traveling cloak over her to warm her, and used the Floo Network to get to the Malfoy Manor.

"I have Draco at my house," Severus said before Lucius and Narcissa could speak. "He's asleep on the couch, exhausted. Kiru's out in her bed, also exhausted – I just now found her less than two minutes ago."

"Where was she?" Lucius frowned.

"Inside the lockers of the dressing rooms," Severus said leaning on a chair.

"Clever girl," Lucius smirked raising an eyebrow as Narcissa squealed in shock. "I admit, even the Dark Lord wouldn't have thought to look there. Of course, she'd have been trapped if I'd let Bellatrix burn it to the ground like she'd been planning."

"Lucius, Narcissa," Snape frowned. "Didn't you know? Bellatrix was killed – in a very Muggle-deplored manner – when she was trying to kill me. Kiru was scared, and blasted Bella backwards with accidental magic. Bella used the Cruciatus curse on her, and Kiru fell to the floor. When Bella tried to use the Cruciatus Curse on me, Kiru thought only of protection and self-preservation. She stabbed Bellatrix in the back, severing the spinal cord. Bella was killed instantly."

"Oh my god," Narcissa gasped, tears coming to her eyes and Lucius gripping the back of his chair. "When?"

"About two or three weeks into the summer," Snape told her. "I was recovering from getting ambushed by a Muggle in the middle of the night – long story, Lucius knows – and Kiru knew that I'd have bled to death if Bellatrix used the Cruciatus curse even once on me. She knew it was only a matter of minutes after I died that Bellatrix would turn to her, so she attacked."

"Idiot Bellatrix," Lucius sighed. "Always racing off to torture someone without asking questions."

"She was worse than I am," Snape said shaking his head. "I prefer to hex them but leave them able to talk."

"Severus, may Draco stay with you tonight, please?" Narcissa pled. "I – I need a while to – to…"

"I understand," Snape said calmly, pulling out a small amount of Floo Powder. "Take as long as you need, Narcissa, Lucius. I'll let him know. First things first, I need to go to Diagon Alley – most of Kiru's books will be hand-me-downs from yours truly, but I still need her to get some new ones. Besides, there's a rumor among the staff that there are _two _new teachers this year."

"Joy," Lucius muttered, and Snape headed off to Diagon Alley.

It was strangely deserted, and Ollivander's was still in business, thank goodness. Snape headed off, Flourish and Blotts was almost empty, and even the shopkeeper was on edge. He nodded curtly before looking for the books he knew would be on Harry and Kiru's book lists. Kiru needed new books, and he was here to get them. He'd have Harry pay him back later with his parents' money. After finding only a few of the textbooks, Snape headed to the register. He paid for the books and headed off to Gringotts to find the Prince family vault, if his drunkard father hadn't raided it for booze money.

Snape shrunk the books and put them in a small bag, then in his pocket. When he got there, he was shocked. There were piles and piles of galleons, a fair amount of sickles, and even a knut here and there scattered throughout the stacks. It was the first time he'd ever taken a look at the bank account his mother had set up for him, and had put her every last spare pound into. He felt extremely guilty now, as his mother had often told him that they had to sacrifice the luxuries of good clothes to pay for his school things and to help him get started on when he was big and strong like Tobias. He now knew what she meant, and also why she'd always screamed at Tobias that there was no way in hell that he could raid her personal bank account – it had been here this whole time.

Snape smirked, knowing this was more than enough to pay for the children's school things, and also to keep buying food for them. He pulled a couple handfuls into a second bag, and stashed it away before leaving the vault. He paused, tempted to put Kiru's Ocarina in, but didn't for fear that she would need it to protect herself. He also knew, however, that she shouldn't rely on it too much like she had been. He apparated back to Privet Drive, and dumped the tiny books on Kiru's desk, stacking them up before returning them to his normal size. He went into Harry's room, finding it surprisingly not vacated, and Harry was sitting on the bed with a frown, tears streaming down his face.

"I know I'm going to regret this, but," Snape said as the tossed the tiny books onto the boy's bed, enlarging them to reveal that he'd gotten the books for him. "What's wrong?"

"They hate me," Harry muttered. "They're just using me, and I trusted them, Professor! I was such an idiot… they almost poisoned me. If I hadn't been carrying around those two bezoars like you said for me to, I'd be dead right now. I ended up using both of them within a few hours, sir…"

"Perhaps," Snape said quietly. "You could give me the names of the ones who _didn't _try to kill you."

"Hermione, Neville, Luna, and – and Ginny," Harry said quietly. "But, the last one… I'm not so sure about, and I – I'm not sure if she was honestly in love with me. Should I use Veritaserum, sir? But, strangely, Malfoy didn't attack me either…"

"No, well," Snape smirked. He was apparently rubbing off on the boy, how almost touching. "Perhaps, but only if you have no choice and can get away with it. I'll be nearby, so I can remove her memory of it if you want me to. Perhaps, instead of trying to stay within Gryffindor, you would do best to ask the Headmaster if you may be resorted. I've seen it done before, on desperate occasions when one's own house members try to kill each other and are sleeping in the same rooms."

"I could try," Harry said quietly, plopping back onto his pillows. "But, it just doesn't make sense. Why would Mrs. Weasley want me hurt? Oh, that reminds me," Harry said reaching into his pocket to pull out a bag. "I'd had evil red hen get me to Diagon Alley for some more bezoars. I used your birthday as an excuse, saying I wanted to surprise you. It's probably nowhere nearby, but you bought my books, so I guess we're even."

"Thank you. She may have been under the Imperius curse," Snape said slowly. "But it is too early to tell. I shall drop Molly a line, giving her the full force of my displeasure. She _and _Arthur."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said quietly. "I never thought I'd say this, but – do you think me and Malfoy could get along?"

"Possible," Snape conceded. "If the two of you were to stop holding grudges and being snobby, perhaps the two of you could become friends if you tried."

"Thanks," Harry grinned. "Professor, one more question. Would you mind if I called you 'Uncle Severus' during the summer or during the school year?"

"Summer, no," Snape smirked. He could hardly believe it – the one student he hated most, and they'd actually gone a whole summer without killing each other, and coming to get along no less! "However, I'd prefer it if you didn't call me that while in the dungeons during the school year."

"Yes, sir," Harry grinned. He was thinking on the same lines as Severus, and he'd even been excited at the welcoming of the new House elf, Winky. "Sir, Chessie-Sensei brought home a house elf. A female one by the name of 'Winky' that was abandoned after the Dark Mark was cast. Her master just ditched her for failing to obey orders, even when she tried her hardest."

"Let me guess," Snape scowled. "Barty Crouch." Harry nodded. "Figures. His son, Barty Crouch, Jr, was a Death eater. He – hm? What's this now?" The Sneakoscope in Harry's room was whirling, and Chessie was shown.

"I think it's broken, sir," Harry frowned. "It's been like that for a while now. Since about three or four weeks after the marriage, give or take a few days."

"Ah. Thank you for this information, and the potions ingredients, Harry," Snape said as his face paled to an ashen white. "If you need me, I'll be hunting down 'Aunt Chessie'."


	2. Feast on Fiasco!

Okay, so this is the second installment in The _Snape Chronicles _series I've been writing. It'll switch over to the Crossover section at the end of Book 6, so just know that since there's - well, I'll explain it later in a different segment of the series.

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Harry boarded the train, looking back at Chessie. Kiru had boarded the train and hugged Severus, but they'd gotten in on opposite sides of the same car, so they met in the middle and took a seat in the compartment. Neville walked in, and the two beamed at him. Ron walked in, frantic, and beaming with a sigh of relief as he saw Harry.

"Bug off," Harry frowned. "I'm not dumb. I know you guys were poisoning me, Ron. I had to eat three bezoars in less than twelve hours, so go away. Mark my words, if you poison my pumpkin juice, you'll be in detention with Filch for the rest of the school year."

"Since when have you been a prefect?" Ron retorted defensively as Neville's face paled. "All I was going to say was that we're sorry we weren't more careful."

"Yeah, to remove the bezoars," Harry and Kiru retorted. Hermione walked up, a red ring around her eyes, and her eyes bloodshot from crying. "Hermione _might _be allowed to stay. But, you, Ron – forget it. I want nothing to do with you until you admit that you guys tried to kill me/Harry."

"We're your friends, Harry!" Ron shouted, and Snape's eyes narrowed. "We would never betray you like that!"

"Problem, Weasley?" Snape growled, and Ron backed into Hermione, toppling her over. "Kiru, I presume this seat's not taken."

"Of course not, Uncle Severus," Harry grinned, and the potions master walked in and slammed the door shut angrily. Neville became an ashen white as the adult sat across from him, his wand in his lap and pointing at the door. It sent a clear message: _stay out_. That, and Harry had just called the cruel – and seemingly heartless Professor – his uncle.

"Boys, switch places," Snape said calmly. "I've been meaning to start this for a while, but never got the chance."

"Sir?" Harry asked as he sat down, Neville quite relieved to be away from the terrifying Potions Professor. "What?"

"Occlumency," he replied. "You must focus your mind, imagine a force field barrier around it to protect it. The sooner we start, the better you'll be whenever _he_ tries to rise to power once more. I had a feeling he'd plotted this way, and you confirmed it two years ago. Now remember, shield your mind. Empty it, and empty yourself of all emotions."

"Ready," Harry said, trying to clear it. Snape flicked his wand, and saw into Harry's memories, memories of Dudley torturing him.

"Again," Snape snapped, Harry breathing heavily. They persisted thus far throughout the train ride, and Harry wasn't exactly the quickest of learners, much to Snape's dismay and chagrin. He had, however, begun to block Snape a small amount, so when it came time to change Snape left and apparated to the Shrieking Shack. He changed into his robes, raced to the castle, and joined the staff in the staff room for an emergency meeting.

"You're late," Flitwick marveled. "You're always the first one here."

"I had to play bodyguard since Weasley tried killing a certain famous-from-diaper-hood Gryffindor," he huffed, and the others all gasped. "Yes, yes, you heard me right. The Weasley family – with the slim possibility that the youngest female is excluded – tried killing Potter three times in one day. If it hadn't been for the fact that I drilled 'always carry a bezoar in your pocket' into him, he'd be dead."

"Oh good heavens," Minerva gasped. "How long ago did this happen?"

"The Quidditch world cup," Snape replied calmly. "He came home crying about it. It took me _days_ to calm him down. He and Kiru both were nervous wrecks."

"You didn't kill him or yell at him for it?" Professor Sprout marveled.

"Let me see you spend two – no, three – months in his house and not come to at least tolerate him or like him a little more than you already do," Snape snorted. "I can now see why he breaks the school rules all the time. It was the only way he could survive with those Muggles was if he broke _their _rules."

"Oh my god," one of the other teachers, Muggle Studies, said. "How long had this been going on?" Snape, however, wasn't paying attention since he just saw who had taken his usual seat in the back of the room away from all the others. "Severus?"

"_Kami_, Dumbledore, what the hell do you think you're pulling?" Snape roared suddenly, and the entire staff, except Dumbledore, McGonagall and the newcomer, cringed at his sudden rage. "And _you!_" he yelled, pointing at her frame as she raised her eyebrows, bit her lower lip and tried not to smile, "You are – I swear, you are the sneakiest, slimiest – oh, forget it! You're just getting enjoyment out of me yelling, aren't you?"

"Severus," Flitwick said calmly but quietly. "Didn't your sister tell you?"

"Sister? Sister!" he roared. "You think that's my sister? I'm an only child, and proud of it! No, you dunderhead, _that is my wife_!"

The entire staff room stared at him like he'd lost his mind, wondering if it was really safe for him to be babysitting Harry every summer for the rest of his life. It took them a good while for them to figure out what he said, with the same three exceptions. Dumbledore smiled calmly at Severus, a strange twinkling in his eyes, Chessie was grinning, blushing and trying not to laugh, while McGonagall waited in tart silence for the onslaught of chaos. Within seconds of each other, the staff wrapped their brains around his words, and McGonagall left to collect the first years just as the questions were being fired off from all directions. Well, it was what he deserved and more so especially once the student rumors started flying around. Luckily for the Potions Master, the headmaster stood up right as they began firing off on all pistons, sparing him from having to answer them.

"I'm sure you want answers from Severus," he soothed calmly. "And I'm sure he will be willing to give them to you. She and Severus were married a few weeks into the summer – it shocked even me at the time, although I won't deny I was delighted at the happy news. As you know, the position of History of Magic was filled by Professor Binns, and I thought a new teacher would be a nice change of pace to help them bring their grades up. I originally offered her the position of Muggle Studies teacher, but she declined politely, worried about Death Eaters for some reason…"

"I blame Snape," the Muggle Studies teacher spat.

"Which one?" both said in unison, she grinning, while he scowled.

"Confound it, the one in black you retarded idiots," she screamed, "The one who hates Potter just as much as Filch did!"

"Nobody can hate anyone as much as Filch did," Professor Sprout shuddered. "Not even Severus."

"I beg to differ," he said coldly. "I'd like to see you spend two weeks stuck in a Muggle hospital and not hate the Muggles that put you there with a gunshot wound to the kidney. I swear, if the law didn't hold me back, alongside the Muggle medics, I'd have hexed those two into oblivion and transformed one into a horse and the other into a whale – _Permanently._"

"Severus," they gasped awestruck, their eyes wide.

"Needless to say, they won't be coming home for a while since they're now in the Muggle equivalent of Azkaban," he sneered. "Lucius Malfoy was furious, as well as Draco and Narcissa. If I'm correct, then I believe it's time to go back to the Great Hall to get ready for the students."

"Severus is correct," Dumbledore said simply, and they filed out, Chessie and Severus dead last.

"You _will _tell me next time," he hissed into her ear, and she laughed joyously and sat next to him just as the students filed in. She could see the students pointing and jeering at her, Draco, Harry and Kiru staring wide-eyed and open mouthed before getting pushed to the table.

Finally, the student's sorting began, she clapping harder for Slytherin than anyone else, Gryffindor a close second and hardly at all for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff. Severus didn't even clap for Dumbledore, a few taps for Slytherin until she jabbed him in the ribs and threatened to rip his manhood off, to which he retorted with a snide 'but then we can't make love', and she'd withdrawn the threat. He'd responded with one slight tap for Ravenclaw or Hufflepuff, two for Gryffindor, and full blown clapping for Slytherin.

"You've got a lot of Slytherins," she whispered, and he looked off. Sure enough, mostly Slytherin children this year, and not a one of them wasn't wondering who he was.

"To our new students, welcome to Hogwarts!" the Headmaster grinned. "To our old ones – welcome back! I'm pleased to announce _two _new changes in staff this year! Please give a warm welcome to Auror Alastor Moody, who has agreed to fill the vacant position of Defense Against the Dark Arts! Also, I'd like to welcome Professor Chessie Snape, our new History of Magic Professor!"

Chessie stood up, and grinned at the students with what Severus knew was a _I-can't-wait-to-scare-the-crap-out-of-you_ look. There were cries of "Oh, God, no,", "Heaven Save us", "Not another one", "Holy crap, we're all gonna die", "oh my god, like brother like sister", and – the duo's personal favorite –"Holy crap, not another Slytherin psycho!" She sat down, grinning and silently chuckling alongside her husband. The headmaster let the noise die down, his eyes twinkling in interest. The students, except the Slytherin House and Harry, were horrified at their new teacher, who viewed them in an evil way.

Harry laughed and cheered alongside the extremely loud Slytherin house, something the others in Gryffindor were looking at him in disdain for. Hermione had sat next to him, with Ron on one side and Ginny in front of him. Harry didn't mind Ginny being there – he could put Veritaserum in her cup – but he knew to watch out for Ron by now. He switched his cup to Hermione's side subconsciously, causing them to raise their eyebrows.

"Well," Dumbledore said calmly. "That was interesting. Now, let the feast begin."

The plates were piled high with food, and the students all began griping and moaning about their new teacher. Moody they could live with, it was Chessie they were scared of. Snape was smirking, eagerly awaiting her first plot, when a loud scream echoed across the Great Hall from the Gryffindor table. Harry fell over backwards, purple and not breathing, and the Snape duo rushed forward alongside McGonagall to his aide. Chessie yanked a bezoar out of her pocket and shoved it down Harry's throat, causing the boy to gasp and sputter in an attempt to breathe. McGonagall watched worriedly, glaring at the two Weasley's who could have easily poisoned something. Hermione was hyperventilating and panicking, getting a glare from Ron, who withered under the glare of the new Professor Snape. She yanked him by the scruff, Ginny being yanked by the arm by a house elf, and then apparated over to her side.

"Thank you, Winky," Chessie nodded harshly, and the house elf returned to her babysitting duties at the Snape household to ensure Dudley didn't destroy the place, in a half-drunken stupor. "You two are coming with me. Can I borrow your office since it's obviously closest?"

"Fine," Severus grumbled as he knelt down to check for Harry's pulse, and the two gulped terrified. The oily haired Snape flicked his wand and levitated an unconscious Harry up to the Hospital wing, dragging Hermione off by the scruff with a terrified and frantic McGonagall behind him.

Draco Malfoy and Kiru were staring in awe, having heard that someone had tried to poison Harry at the Quidditch cup, but had no idea that they were in Gryffindor. They shuddered, hoping they wouldn't have to repeat their previous year's issues. Kiru shuddered longer, and Draco put his arm around her shoulder, recalling how she was still terrified of in-house relations since the female prefect had tried to kill her numerous times.

Severus dragged them to the Hospital wing, explaining the situation to Madame Pomfrey and leaving Harry in her capable hands. He jerked on the shoulders of Hermione's cloak, glaring into her eyes. She muttered that she'd seen someone slip something into Harry's food, but wasn't sure who except that it had come from her right.

"If I find out you're lying, I _will _use this," he growled angrily, holding it over her mouth dangerously for emphasis. He swept away, striding over to check on Harry. "How is he?"

"He'll be alright. Shaken and exhausted, but alright," she diagnosed. "Lucky Chessie was there with the bezoar, or he wouldn't have lived to make it here. That poison was strong, and the bezoar is making slow progress, but it's doing its job. Go back to the feast, Severus, I'll tend to them."

"Oh, I'll be going back to the feast," he sneered, "As soon as my wife and I have a little interrogation fun with two of the Weasley children."

.o0O()O0o.

"Answer me!" he heard Chessie screaming at them, no doubt scaring the crap out of them.

"Allow me," Snape said as he entered his office. "Weasley – the male – tell her what she needs to know, or I _will _give you detention. I'm tempted to expel you, but unfortunately, my wife and I do not hold that happy power."

"Please, sir, I had no part in this," Ginny pled. "Mum said-! I wanted to tell Harry, I did, but Fred and George-!"

"The Unbreakable Vow," Chessie realized with horror. "Oh my – we can't just- shutting up."

Snape had glared at her, and had returned to glaring at Ginny. "Granted, if she _is _under the unbreakable vow, she can't talk about it, but will have all the proof we need. Weasley, your arm. Chessie, the door."

Just as Chessie opened the door, Professor Dumbledore walked in followed by a terrified Professor McGonagall. "Severus, what are you doing?"

"Seeing if she's under the unbreakable vow," he replied, yanking up her sleeve. "I suspected as much, I was right." The three others looked at Ginny's arm, and she started crying terrified. "Chessie, take this one upstairs to your office and see what you can get from her."

"As you wish, my love," she grinned, and yanked Ginny out of his office and up and away to hers.

"Now, for you," Snape snarled, pulling out the Veritaserum. "Don't even start, Minerva. You _will _tell me what's going on, whether you want to or not, Weasley. You can do so willingly, or I can force this down your throat – it's your choice."

Ron swallowed, terrified of the enraged potions master that was giving him the hardest, coldest, and most terrifyingly murderous look yet. "Okay, I'll talk."

* * *

Who poisoned Harry? I just had to include the staff room fight for a short explanation for those who started with this one instead of the "Prisoner of Azkaban" equivalent.

Reviews, pretty please! Even a message would make my day! To be honest, I was hyperventilating when I got my first message I was so happy. Reviews are just as welcome, with a tiny bit less of a medical reaction, I promise.


	3. Beginning of the Spiral

Okay, as you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Naturally, the elder two teachers were astounded that Molly Weasley of all people was behind the treachery and that the others knew about it. Fred and George were against it, but only refused to do something about it for fear of getting Ginny's punishment, which she had received because she'd screamed out that she would rather save Harry and live with him than stay there. Percy outright didn't care and thought Harry was an arrogant prat, while Bill and Charlie were completely clueless as to their mother's treachery.

"Headmaster, I would feel much safer if Potter was resorted," Snape said coldly, knowing exactly where the Sorting Hat would put him. "If not given a safer place to sleep, I would be lenient enough to permit him to eat with my own house, if he so chooses."

"Very well, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly and morosely. "Young Harry may sit with your house at mealtimes and I will look into getting him private quarters or resorted. Perhaps give him Chessie's office and the two of you could share one?"

"In her fondest dreams," he snorted. "Actually, that's not a bad idea. And Weasley's punishment?"

"I will send Molly a... letter... and encouraged her to rethink what she has done. Also, I will give young Mr. Weasley the same punishment as I did last time – one more rule broken and he will be expelled and have his wand snapped by the Ministry," Dumbledore said morosely. "As for young Miss Weasley – she is very traumatized, and quite possibly the only one in the family who wouldn't do so to young Harry."

Severus shuddered unwillingly, knowing that the way Dumbledore said letter, he meant howler. Oh, Arthur would be displeased with it, and he might even have to consider threatening the redhead with himself and Chessie combined. He glared at Ron, who was now whimpering in his seat, looking about ready to wet himself. He was not happy – he yet again felt as though Christmas had been cancelled.

"Come, Severus, there's a new pie I wish to sample," Dumbledore said simply, and the potions master gave McGonagall a _you'd-better-kill-him _look before leaving his office. He talked simply with the headmaster, in hushed whispers once they re-entered the great Hall, and sat down at the staff table, his appetite gone.

"Snape!" he soon heard Percy Weasley roar out above the din. "What did you do to my sister, you bastard?" Severus, now far beyond the normal boiling point, rammed his hand against the plate, purposefully ramming magic behind it, sending it flying across the Great Hall and almost hitting the oldest Weasley, who brought up his wand to defend himself. "You ruddy coward! I'll kill you myself!"

"Oh, it's you who'll be dying," Chessie grinned, appearing out of nowhere behind him, holding up a knife dangerously to his throat. "Drop it, now, or I slit your throat."

"You wouldn't," he glared, and Severus stormed up to the boy, tempted to perform the Cruciatus curse.

"Easy, Severus," Chessie growled. "We wouldn't want another one's blood on our hands, neh?"

"Don't tempt me, Chess," he growled, red swimming through his vision. "Move the knife. We'll duel as civilized – well, I'll be civilized, this one will be an attempted murderer – wizards."

"Begin," Chessie grinned, and Percy sent a backlashing spell at him, only to have him dodge it and fire a petrification jinx out at him. Again, it missed, and Chessie defused it in a shower of sparks.

"Bastard," Percy screamed, "Cruccio!"

Snape dropped to the ground, writhing in pain, but not nearly as bad as what the Dark Lord had done, oh hell no. He rolled over, back on his feet within seconds, although still in agony, and shot a levicorpus spell at Percy, who dodged. Percy shot the curse again, hitting the folds of the Potions Master's cloak, to which the teacher lashed out with his foot and rammed Percy where it hurts. Naturally, Percy fell to the ground, whimpering, and Snape stepped on his hand cruelly yanking his wand out from under it.

"I win," Snape snarled. "Chessie – ah, Alastor, just in time," Snape said jerking his head up and straightening his robes. "I'm sure you saw all of that."

"Aye, I did," the old man said as he limped in. "Red hair – you're Arthur's boy. You alright, Severus?"

"He used the Cruciatus curse on me," Snape admitted with his breathing a slight amount heavier than usual. "But I'll be fine in a few minutes. I've had worse, much worse."

"I'll get this little bloke off to Azkaban, then," Moody frowned, before Chessie walked in front of him. "Who're you?"

"History of Magic teacher," she introduced. "Professor C. Snape. I'll get that little brat to the Ministry in seconds tops – Winky!" The house elf reappeared.

"Yes, Mistress Snape?" she said cheerfully saluting her new mistress. "Is there something I can help you and Master Snape with?"

"Go get the brother," Snape whispered, and Chessie nodded before stalking off to his office. "Winky, when she gets back, you are to take two dunderhead Weasley boys to the Ministry of Magic, and to tell them that this one has been performing unforgivable curses – inside Hogwarts – and that the other one has been attempting to kill Harry Potter."

"Oh, yes, sir!" Winky chirped. "Winky is happy to serve Mistress and Master Snape, oh yes! Winky only wishes that she had help to help keep the fat boy in line for the Master!"

"Dobby," Snape called out, and a familiar crack was heard as the house elf appeared. "Hm, so Potter was right."

"Is Harry Potter alright, sir? Where is he?" Dobby fretted, and Snape put his foot on the house elf's.

"He's in the hospital wing – no, stay, Dobby, let me finish. He's in the hospital wing because a dunderheaded carbuncle poisoned him. Now, if you want to help Harry, you'll help Winky here get the two criminals to the Ministry of Magic," Snape explained. "Ah, here comes Chessie with the second now."

"One Weasley, ready for transport," she saluted.

"Winky, take this one. Dobby, take the bigger one," Snape ordered. "Now, go!" With a single _crack _the two were gone. "The one good thing about house elves is that they never argue back like children do, and don't require an allowance!"

"Amen to that!" Chessie agreed. "You know, I'm not hungry anymore. Do we have to stick around?"

"Yes," Snape ordered, and she sighed as they headed up to the staff table and sat back down on the end. She yawned widely, and he levitated a scoop of ice cream into her mouth.

"Oh, it's on, Severus!" she screamed, and yanked a pie up and threw it at him as the school stared awestruck at her behavior. It landed squarely on his face, dropping onto his black robes.

"Woman!" he roared, waving his wand and cleaning himself off.

"FOOD FIGHT!" the Weasley twins screamed, and there were soon desserts flying everywhere at the Gryffindor table. Naturally, some hit the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, who joined in the fray, who retaliated. Not wanting the Slytherin house to miss out, Fred and George constructed a battalion of wand users for the next attack.

"READY! AIM! FIRE!" they yelled, a massive amount of desserts having been levitated by multiple students and flung them at the other house. As a result, this barred nobody from the fray, and flood was flying everywhere.

"Now look what you started!" he yelled at Chessie over the din as the teachers brandished their wands to stop from getting hit. Snape, however, stood up on the table and let the food come from all directions.

"Finite incantatem!" Chessie yelled, and immediately a large purple fog swept over the room, stopping all magic from being used, but the children still threw it amongst their own houses. Having had more than enough, she and her husband bellowed out, as loud as their lungs could manage "SILENCE!" Kiru's was the only pie thrown after that point, and the entire student body looked at them in confusion.

"Who cares! Keep throwing!" one of the first year Gryffindors yelled gleefully.

"The next person I see that throws or levitates a dessert is in detention with me for a month!" Severus and Chessie screamed, and the desserts stopped flying, the older students barring the younger ones from punishment.

"Well, thank you Severus and Chessie for getting things under control," Dumbledore said calmly. "You may get off the table now, Severus." He jumped down, still silently fuming. Oh, he was docking some serious points for this, especially from the Gryffindor house. "Now that we have all had our fun and fill, I think it's time we tuck ourselves under our warm blankets and to think about trying to get back on our Professors Snape good sides. Pip pip!"

There was a scraping of benches, and the older children were helping clean the younger ones off, and teaching each other the spells to do so with. Oh, Snape was mad, more so at Chessie for starting this whole mess. He'd punish her later for it, though. Probably during one of the Quidditch matches, or by poisoning her drink so that her hair turned green, or – better yet – reveal that her hair was just like his by taking her special potion away. The students filed out, leaving the teachers, Severus included, to glare at Chessie.

"What? It was just a little fun," she grinned sheepishly.

"Chessie, we aren't students anymore," Severus scolded harshly. "I swear, you're like an oversized child stuck in an adult's body! What is it going to take for me to get through to you that you can't just act like a child because you're bored! _That,_" he said, waving his arm at the mess, "is exactly why! How much longer are you going to act like a spoiled brat, Chessie? Hm?"

"Severus, I-!" she began.

"And you can't just go easy on the students, you're supposed to get them in line, you're supposed to scold them, you're supposed to make sure that chaos like this _doesn't _happen!" He ranted angrily, not noticing the tears forming in his wife's eyes.

"Severus, I-!"

"Hell, the way you're acting is like that of a first year, and more so than that! Your childish actions caused more havoc than Lockhart's charades on Valentine's Day two years ago!" Snape yelled.

"FINE!" she screamed at him, crocodile tears forming rivers the size of the Nile down her face. "If you think I need to grow up, then that's what you'll get! I'm leaving, and there's not a damn, fucking bitch of a thing that you can do about it you fucking bastard! I thought you were different from the others, Severus, but I can see now I WAS COMPLETELY WRONG!" she stormed out, slamming the entrance doors behind her.

"What just happened? Did I miss something?" Trelawney asked confused as she came downstairs for the first time that night. "Oh, dear, me. Please tell me the brunette hasn't left!"

"Uh, no, she left," Flitwick squeaked, staring fearfully at Snape, who was staring at the doors. "Why?"

"Oh, I saw this in my crystal ball," she wailed. "There will be great horrors brought about at Hogwarts until she returns to her loved ones!"

"The only horror I see is the mess in the Great Hall," Professor Sprout chuckled. "Thank goodness she's gone – no offense, Severus – but that woman was a lunatic! I'm happy she's gone, that's one less chaotic rule-breaker we have to keep in line!"

"Speak for yourself," Snape muttered as he went out to the dungeons. "Two hundred points from _all_ houses for participating in the food fight."

"Oh, I think I see where this is going," McGonagall whispered. "We've got to get her back in that classroom, and more importantly, at Severus' side."

"What do we do?" Madame Hooch whispered horrorstruck. Just as Filch got to the Great Hall, he shrieked in protest and fear.

"First things first," Mad-Eye said. "Get back to our offices to concoct our own plans each."

.o0O()O0o.

Chessie flopped onto their shared bed, sobbing her lungs out. "Winky!" she screamed. "Give me a bottle of the hardest Saké you've got!" Winky appeared with a crack, holding it out to her mistress. Chessie jerked it to herself, drinking it until it was gone, and herself into oblivion. She passed out, and Winky pulled a blanket over her to let her rest peacefully.

"Mistress," Winky blinked the tears from her eyes, wiping her mistress' tears away gently. "Dobby, what does we do? Mistress returned home without the Master and is crying! She's isn't supposed to be home until Master gets home next year!"

"Dobby will talk to Winky's Master Snape, Winky," Dobby assured. "Dobby hopes he can talk some sense into Winky's Master! Dobby must also visit Harry Potter, anyways!"

And with a loud Crack he was gone, and in the Hospital Wing. Harry jerked awake, unaware of what was going on, jerking upright. Dobby put the glasses on the exhausted teen, dabbing his forehead with a damp rag.

"Oh, it's you," Harry breathed. "What's up, Dobby? What happened after I left?"

"Dobby doesn't know," he whispered. "All Dobby knows is that Winky's new Mistress' heart is broken, and came home early without Winky's Master. Winky was worried, so Dobby says he goes to help her Mistress Snape!"

"Oh, god," Harry breathed. "What was she crying about? Did she say?"

"No," Dobby shook his head emphatically, flapping his bat ears. "She only told Winky to get her the strongest drink we has, sir…"

"Uncle Severus," Harry breathed. "Dobby, can you get me to his office?"

"Dobby can't!" he breathed. "Dobby can tell that Master Snape is angry and frustrated like the Mistress, but he doesn't know why! Dobby was hoping Harry Potter knew…"

"Sorry, Dobby," he whispered. "I'm just as clueless as you. Ask Kiru – she might know." Dobby nodded, and disappeared just as quickly as he'd gotten onto the school grounds.

* * *

I just couldn't resist the food fight! Severus had gotten on the table to try to stop the chaos by stopping the charms en masse, but Chessie had beat him to it. Anyhow, I know he's _way _OOC by now, but I think Snape deserves some love in his life, even if she is sensitive.

Review, please. Please, It's lonely if you don't and I won't know what to do in the seventh book...

Yes, I'm writing the Crossover sections. I've already got Books 5,6, and some of 7 done.


	4. Spywork

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

By the time the students from Beuxbatons and Durmstrang arrived, the houses were very low on points, and quickly going into the negatives. Even as the two school leaders looked on, the point numbers continued falling.

"Mein Gott!" Igor Karkaroff yelled in shock. "We have point systems like this, but aren't as low as this!"

"I apologize, Igor, Madame Maxime," Dumbledore said somberly. "One of our Professors has been in an extremely grumpy mood as of late, and the Triwizard Tournament is doing nothing for his nerves. Also, we've had to turn to one of our ghosts to substitute for one of our teachers to take an unexpected holiday for her health."

"Ah, a baby?" Madame Maxime grinned.

"If only it were that simple," Dumbledore frowned, and the other two stared at each other in shock and bewilderment. "But, all this aside, we welcome you! We have already explained the rules to the students."

"Albus," Professor McGonagall said briskly. "I've got an idea! I know it might be foolish, and one of them will probably hex the other, but – it might work."

"Send me a letter later, Minerva," he nodded. "Actually, go ahead with it. I think Severus might be a little less lenient, however, now that Halloween is coming upon us…"

"Of course," she said before heading back to her office to write to Chessie. She sent it off with her owl, knowing the youth wouldn't dare refuse an invitation from her former Transfiguration Teacher.

Fleur Delacour's name was called for Beauxbatons, and Victor Krum for Durmstrang. The next problem was for the Hogwarts Champion. With a blazing fire, and an extremely shocked and angry Professor Dumbledore, Harry's name was called out. However, that wasn't what made the school's night – Kiru's name was set out of the fire.

Harry and Kiru protested to their two Professor's, insisting that they hadn't put their names in. Kiru walked towards the Goblet, but was ricocheted backwards growing a full mane of hair that was turning just as greasy as her father's. Apparently it was a trait that the Snape family grew into, the school marveled. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened, but Severus' obsidian eyes narrowed as he saw her.

"I've got to report for the Triwizard tournament," she told him warily.

"Fine," he snapped. "But I'll be screening it, and don't make me hex you, Skeeter." Snape's message was clear: Mess up, and I reveal you for what you are. She nodded, smiling even though nauseated.

"Well, ladies first," she sang, pulling Kiru in, who had latched onto the Potions' professor's robes. He glared at Rita, who let go and led Fleur away quietly. Then it was Krum's turn, and he, too returned paler than he had been when he'd gone in.

When Harry finished, he felt like a pile of dirt when she was through. He whispered into Kiru's ear to watch out for the quill. Naturally, Kiru took one look at it and set it on fire without even using her wand, with a loud shriek from the reporter. The older Snape smirked and almost laughed when he heard the horrible woman screaming about the child burning her quill. It took his every ounce of self control to keep himself from laughing, and he made a mental note to embed the memory of the unforgivable vow into Rita's brain permanently.

Naturally, Kiru was happy when she felt her father's pleasure from afar. She didn't know how, but since she'd met him she could now tell his emotions a little better. This was especially so if she was in a good mood or sharing a mood with him. She grinned, handing the reporter one of her own quills, and enchanting it so that it would only write down what she herself had said.

"Well, should we get started, or not? Or are you too scared by a little accidental magic from a second year student?" Kiru smirked and Rita Skeeter's face flushed a harsh crimson.

"Suit yourself. You are the daughter of Professor Severus T. Snape, Potions master at Hogwarts, are you not?"

"Yup, and proud of it. I've been brewing fifth year potions all summer with him supervising and only occasionally helping," Kiru boasted proudly, keeping track of the quill. "Next question."

"Has he ever harmed you in any way, shape or form?" Rita sneered, pulling out the dirt from their house.

"If you're referring to that time you broke into our house this past summer, then your answer is an extremely strong no, _yerou_," she spat angrily. "I was throwing up all day, and dad was checking up on me to see if I needed a potion for nausea!"

"Have you hit puberty, little one?" Rita sneered.

"That's none of your pretty Veela-infested business, now is it? No, I thought not," Kiru sneered right on back, glaring daggers evilly, warning her of the dangers that she could give out to the illegal animagus and much, much, worse. "Speaking of which, wasn't your mother a Veela? Because if she is, then she most certainly didn't pass her looks onto you, but definitely her temper as a yes."

"I believe it is you who has inherited the infamous Snape temper," Skeeter retorted. "And your horrid looks from your father."

"Nah, I get it from mom. If you think dad was scary and evil, think again. My mom – my birth mom, not step-mom - makes my dad's dungeon look like a field of wildflowers and makes my dad look like a lost puppy with little sad-eyes," Kiru snorted. "Trust me, she used to use anything for target practice – me included. As for dad's looks – he looks a heck of a lot better than you do, especially considering the fact that he's married and you're not, and not to mention that he's got kids, and you don't. Now, what kind of reporter, or any woman, wouldn't want to get married to show off her looks to someone special?"

"And your step-mother? How does she fit into all this?" Skeeter asked curiously, ignoring Kiru's question.

"Well, mom was an idiot and killed herself, thus I naturally came to Hogwarts," Kiru said like it was obvious. "My dad left her when she got temperamental – I guess he knew temper tantrums were on the way, but he didn't know she was pregnant with me. Thus, when I show up last year and get sorted into Slytherin like him and mom, he gets the shock of his life. This past summer, he starting dating someone and got married a few weeks ago, though I have no idea why on the big blue orb that he had to chose someone who reminds me so much of a certain set of Houdini twins that run around here causing chaos and always landing themselves in detention. Truth be told, though, I'm glad he remarried – it gives me a mother figure that I've always wanted but could never have. As you can guess, I hate my birth mom, even though dad always says that she used to be really sweet."

"And, is anyone else living under that roof?" Skeeter asked.

"Well," Kiru said thoughtfully, giving the woman another harsh stare. "We _do _have a couple house elves, but I wouldn't be surprised if my step-mom ended up pregnant pretty soon before next school year. She's been wanting a kid for most of her adult life now, from what I can read off her behavior around little kids."

"And - !" Skeeter cut off, Snape knowing that she was going to reveal Harry's location. "Do you have any cousins?"

"Not that I know of," Kiru shook her head. "Although, I guess – nah, probably not."

"And you're sure?" she asked, causing Kiru to give her a glare that said shut-up-or-you'll-die. "Fine, then, next question. Do you have a secret crush?"

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a secret anymore, now would it?" Kiru retorted. "However, I will relent that there's a very annoying sixth year that I want to destroy who should be in Azkaban for using two of the three unforgivable curses on school grounds."

"As a crush?" Skeeter asked incredulously.

"In your fondest dreams!" Kiru spat. "That was a woman, and I was the one she was trying to use the curses on! Now are you going to actually talk about the Triwizard tournament like you said you came for, or just keep talking about my house life?"

"What were your feelings when your name came out?" Skeeter asked, and Kiru shrugged. "Nothing at all?"

"Terror," Kiru admitted. "I know from the history books that this kind of stuff always ends up fatal. I was scared – I want to withdraw, but I'm not sure if that's allowed, and, well, I'm kind of scared for Harry. I mean, I know he's a great Gryffindor and all – what with banishing you-know-who into oblivion as a baby, and then special services to the school in his second year – but he's a minor, just like me. I think It'll take some serious private coaching to get us through this huge mess."

"I see. And what does your father think of this?" she asked.

"Oh, he's undoubtedly wanting to wring the neck of whichever sorry bloke put my name – and Harry's, I think – into that Goblet. He and I both know that it wasn't me," Kiru said putting her hands up. "And I'm fairly sure that Harry wouldn't risk his life like that just for fun or attention like everyone thinks he will."

"What kinds of strengths do you have? Rumors have been going around that you're a musiclancer," she smirked.

"Um, yeah, I'm not sure what my strengths are aside from potion making. And a musiclancer, me, the very idea makes my skin crawl. That is a power I would _not _want to have," Kiru shuddered realistically, thinking of Dudley to provoke it and make it look real to the reporter. "Yeesh, I pity the fool who has to have that for an ability. Although, Anti-legilimens would be a good power to have."

"I see," Rita huffed, her plot foiled. "And your strengths from potions stem from your father, yes?"

"Well, duh!" Kiru practically yelled. "My birth mom banned me from doing it, why the hell would I get it from her? Nah, I get wand troubles from her, among other things."

"Other things?" Skeeter asked, almost out of ink for Kiru.

"One more thing, off the record, and give me back my quill. Do the world a favor," Kiru said standing up. "And quit being a reporter. You suck at it, and you're nothing but an overobsessed _yerou_ who loves nothing more than making other people miserable for her own profit. Well guess what – one of these days your job is going to drive you into a corner, and nobody's going to help you because of all the nasty things you wrote about them."

"Why you little-!" Rita snarled, but Kiru was already out the door. "Get back here, I'm not done!"

"Too bad, bitch!" Kiru called over her shoulder, to which Snape scowled and glared at her. "Oh, come on, Professor, you know she is one. Just in a different manner than a certain idiot we both had to put up with at one point or another."

"True," he murmured, before raising his voice to pretend scolding her. "You still shouldn't cuss like that, Miss Snape. That's detention the next time I hear that come out of your mouth in front of the headmaster, or any other adult for that matter."

"Not in a different language you can't since they can't understand me," Kiru shot back in perfect Japanese. The Potions master smirked at her Slytherin-ness, knowing he'd have done the same thing when he was her age. Yes, she most definitely inherited his brains and knack for potions.

"Well, do any of you wish to withdraw?" Rita asked, and the other two students scowled at the second and fourth year. "None? Miss Snape?"

"What my student does and doesn't do is none of your concern," Snape said coldly. "Now get out, before you get hexed by one of the champions or worse – their parents."

"You wouldn't dare," she snarled.

"Try me," he snarled back, giving her his glare that would send a seventh year running to the bathroom to change their drawers. Apparently it worked on adults as well, since the reporter backed off and went into the corner of the room.

.o0O0o.

Chessie frowned at McGonagall's letter. A girl talk, huh? She frowned, then wrote a brisk reply of _no thanks, it's a trap to get me to talk to Severus _and sent it off with the owl. She frowned, counting the days, weeks, and her eyes flew open. This was not good, no not at all. She jerked out a Muggle pregnancy test from the medicine cabinet, and stuck it in a cup of her fresh urine. She flopped down on the bed, wanting Severus to be at her side, but also knowing it would drive him insane.

She began sobbing uncontrollably, and a knock came at the door. She grabbed her wand, holding it at the ready. Dudley, naturally, got the door, his large frame slimmer more than it had been when she'd met him. In the time he'd lived with Severus, the boy had lost thirty pounds. She pushed the tears away as she heard him coming up the stairs. She nodded, her wand ready, and pointed it at the newcomers, who were wearing travelers' cloaks, wizard cloaks to be precise.

"You are?" she questioned, and the two gasped as they saw her. "Who are you?"

"You – I'm Molly Weasley," the small one introduced. "And this is my husband, Arthur. We were wondering if Severus was home."

"He's at work," she retorted, sidestepping the field. "What do you want? If it's a message, tell me and consider it delivered."

"Well, we can't. You see, he's Harry's legal guardian," Arthur said warily.

"Obliviate!" Chessie yelled, pointing it at one then the other. "Obliviate!" their eyes got misty, then they collapsed. "Dobby, make sure these two get home." The house elf nodded, and vanished with them.

"Mistress Snape," Winky said hesitantly.

"I know. My students need me," she growled. "Winky, get me into my History of Magic Classroom."

"Yes, Mistress," Winky beamed apparating the woman back into the classroom.

"You, ghost, out," Chessie ordered, her eyes still circled with red puffiness that the students knew meant tears – not that anyone but Hermione and Draco Malfoy (unnaturally) were awake to see them. "The rest of you can start reading. Oh for the love of – Three hundred points from all of your houses for you little brats sleeping in class!"

The rest of the class awoke with a start, now terrified of their new teacher. Harry looked at her, and she glared at him angrily until he turned back to the textbook. They could tell she was trying to keep from crying again, but she sent the house elf away with a jerk of her chin. They shuddered; this woman was worse than Snape, from what they could tell. They raced out of the classroom when the bell rang, stopping only to walk when she docked another fifty points from each house for running in the hallways.

"Albus," Madame Maxime said warily in the Great Hall as she watched the History of Magic students filing in fearfully and glaring at the Potions Master. "Is that normal?"

"Ah, dear, no," he said delicately. "Hm, perhaps…yes, I think I'll have no other choice… Igor, could you tell Severus that I need him in Minerva's office? Madame Maxime, could you go get our young Professor Chessie Snape from the History of Magic classroom? She's likely to have been crying, I believe."

Chessie screamed in defiance and rage, knowing good and well what they were up to. Before five minutes had passed in the next class period however, all the houses, Slytherin especially, were down two hundred or more points because of her foul mood. The students in the Potions dungeon fared no better – they'd lost three hundred points at least, with the exception of Slytherin, who'd been docked only two hundred and fifty points.

The next day fared no better, and by the end of the week, the students had lost hope of getting their house points back and the two enraged teachers had moved on to giving detentions at the slightest provocation. The houses were two thousand points in the negative, and getting lower with every class period. Naturally, the good teachers were doing their best to dish out the highest amount of points they could, but the two teachers were docking points so fast – and since there were two of them taking massive points each – they weren't able to keep up as much as they'd liked. They'd just barely manage to scrape by a narrow victory by keeping the points even for one class period, to which Severus managed to crash the next class period while he had Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. He'd docked the Gryffindor House one hundred points each time Neville, or anyone, blew up a cauldron. The Slytherins were also being punished, but both houses knew better than to object.

Chessie was in an unnaturally caring mood to Harry for the first task. She'd tried to get him to play to his strengths, which he said that there were none. In fact, she'd taken him out to the Forbidden Forest, where they were now hiding dragons. Harry, of course, had on his invisibility cloak, and Charlie Weasley was naturally curious as to who she was.

"Professor Snape, History of Magic," she introduced, holding out her hand.

"No relation to Professor Snape to teach potions?" Charlie asked, and she grimaced. "Sorry."

"Yeah, me too," she spat. "My husband. He's also a spoiled git who needs to stop brewing potions long enough to take a nice long shower or soak in a bath. I swear he's got worse hygiene than the amount of time the Weasley twins spend planning and playing pranks."

"Ah, so Fred and George are still at it, huh? How many detentions have you had to give them?" Charlie laughed. Chessie wasn't amused.

"Twenty-five this past week alone, and don't even get me started on how many I had to give them last month. To make it worse, they ignited a food fight on my first night back in the castle," she ranted, and Charlie winced. "Oh, you're another Weasley, aren't you? Yeah, from what I've heard they went without any desserts at all for three whole weeks. I know, _shocking_."

"Yes, Charlie. My brother, Bill, works in Gringotts, and my other brother works in the Ministry of Magic. I'm quite worried – is everything alright in Hogwarts? Ron wrote me sobbing that Harry hated him," he furrowed his brow worried. This new teacher said that Snape was a git, but she was being just as bitchy as he was being a git. He wondered if that was what attracted the two together.

"I should hope Potter hates him," Chessie snorted. "Your brother poisoned his drink. If we hadn't gotten that bezoar down Potter's throat, he wouldn't have even lasted long enough to get to the hospital wing."

"Well, if you don't mind, I'd best be getting back to the dragons. I pity the bloke that gets the Hungarian horntail – Ooh, that one's just as bad in front as it is in back. Yeegh," Charlie shuddered.

"I need to get back to the castle anyways," Chessie shrugged. "Good luck."

"Thanks. You too!" Charlie called back.

"You're welcome, Potter," she growled under her breath. "You owe me one for this."

"I know," he whispered. "How do we deal with the dragons?"

"Easy – confuse the hell out of them. They'll get pissed, but you'll be close enough to get one of the eggs if you dodge effectively," Chessie concocted, which, if you'd have asked someone else, was a very _bad _idea.

Severus scowled a few days later as his Dark Mark burned like before. _He_ was back or at least regaining a small amount of power. Karkaroff kept glancing at him nervously every so often, and Snape knew that when Voldemort once again regained power, Karkaroff would be long gone, in more than one sense of the phrase. He sighed, having been forced to take Kiru up to the Hospital wing for a Gryffindor trying to set her on fire. Naturally, he'd docked hundreds of points from the lions, and had given the boy a very strict detention with Hagrid in the Forbidden Forest. Of course, he'd also have to go over and intimidate the half-giant, but he didn't care. Kiru, meanwhile, was talking up a storm and ignoring the tick marks appearing over her father's head.

"I mean, who does he think he is?" Kiru continued. "Seriously, who _does _Voldemort think he is?"

"Don't say the name," Severus Snape snapped angrily, snapping out of his going through the mental notes he'd made to himself that day.

"Voldemort!" Kiru yelled, and Madame Pomfrey came rushing out, her wand brandished dangerously before sighing with relief at who it really was. "Get over it, you ruddy coward. Voldemort! _Voldemort_! VOLDEMORT!"

"Stop that!" Snape snapped smacking her on the back of her head. "You may be in my house, and you may be my daughter, but you most definitely will not be permitted to break rules or disobey a teacher without my permission! I'd take points from you, but you're in my house. Do I need to give you detention with Filch?"

Kiru glared at the wall, tears streaming silently down her face at her father taking his stress out on her, almost exactly as her mother had done when she was alive. This went unnoticed by the Head of Slytherin, though, and wasn't at all shocked when he left for the night while she wanted to be alone.

* * *

You should already know that Kiru's temper will, yet again, get the best of her. What do you think she'll do?

Ah, who am I kidding? Review if you like and I'll keep trying to come up with chapters for the next segments of the series.


	5. The Explosion

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chessie Snape found herself nauseated more and more often, puking up her meals at odd intervals during the day. Harry was still glaring at Ron, who'd gotten a very stern letter about blowing his cover and needing to be more comfortable. Ginny, meanwhile, was now eating with the History of Magic teacher every day at lunch, and keeping her Professor's morning sickness a secret from all.

Kiru also knew what was happening, though she didn't dare voice it at all to her father. She hadn't spoken to him in class or at all except to answer a question about potions, and was feeling more alone than ever. Everyone was glaring daggers at her now, the sixth and seventh years especially. She'd been almost raped on a few occasions, but had an uncanny knack of getting way by racing into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, where she knew she'd be safe since nobody dared mess with Myrtle now. The entire school knew that Myrtle was one of Kiru's main spies and weapons to battle loneliness, but the young girl was too depressed to do anything about it.

Naturally, the older kids tried to cheer her up, only to make it worse for her. She began skipping class, and even went out to attend a Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw Care of Magical Creatures class instead. Lucky for Kiru, they were studying Thestrals that day, and she raised her hand when Hagrid asked who all could see them.

"I knew you could, Kiru. Wait, what're ye doin here, girl?" Hagrid asked shocked, and she looked off to the left like she always did when she was about to cry.

"I wanted some fresh air, sir. I just need to get away from it all, to get away from everyone who expects me to be little Miss Perfect," she murmured, and he sighed.

"Alrigh', but I can' be havin yer skippin class ter come here," he scolded gently.

"You don't understand – that's _why _I need to get out. All the other teachers hate me – Kaa-san and Jii-san included," she yelled out, racing past him to run into the forest, much to his, and the others', shock and horror. No second year dared go out into the forest alone, not until now. Oh, sure, she'd gone last year, or so they'd heard, when she was desperate to get away from some attackers.

By dinnertime, however, she was thoroughly lost, and couldn't have cared less. She was free as a bird, and even knew a little bit about the animals here, too. She'd run into the centaurs, but they'd left her be since she was young, much to the dismay of one of them. She'd had a run-in with giant spiders, but scared them away by speaking Parseltongue and summoning snakes to her aide. She'd found a few Thestrals, too, and one in particular seemed fond of her until it was time for their own dinner. Her favorite, however, was a unicorn that stayed by her side during the night and let her sleep against its mane and withers.

She vaguely heard her father calling out to her, and got onto the unicorn's back to get away, not wanting anything to do with him. Once he was well out of earshot, she slowed the unicorn down.

She hopped off, and they both went right back to sleep. this time, however, she was awoken by the feel of the morning on her face. The unicorn had put her back on its back and walked all the way to a lake in the middle of the woods. A lake that Kiru knew too well that Harry had almost died at, having been saved by himself performing the patronus. She'd laughed as he told her how he and Hermione had gone back in time to ensure Buckbeack and Sirius' safety. Now, however, she was alone, and feeling unwanted. Even the animals, except the unicorn she was riding, were avoiding her.

Severus Snape looked all around the Slytherin table for his daughter, knowing she'd probably skipped class again. Chessie panicked, and sent a patronus down to McGonagall, who sent her patronus to the dungeons when Kiru couldn't be found. They'd decided to wait until after dinner, knowing that if she was being rebellious or simply crying she'd come out to eat. However, time passed and she didn't show, and Hagrid kept glancing nervously at the Slytherin table. Severus suddenly understood where Kiru was, and jumped up madly to inform Minerva, whose eyes went rigid with shock at his theory.

"It's worth a try," she murmured as they rounded up the two other heads of houses to call an emergency staff meeting.

And, as usual, they blamed Snape for the problems with his daughter since he was an almost-heartless bastard. They all got into heated arguments, (most of which involved whether or not to expel the troublemaker) and debated whether or not this was an attempt to get out of the Triwizard tournament. As always, each argument – no matter who was having it – always rounded upon the two Snape Professors. Hagrid, however, stepped in late, saying it was his fault this time and telling them what had happened, confirming the Potions Master's suspicions.

"what are we waiting for?" Chessie panicked. "We can't just stay here and let her die!"

"no, we need to let her calm down," Severus argued.

"Both of you be quiet," the Muggle Studies teacher ordered. "It's both of your faults anyways for being such bad parent and relative." The two immediately brandished their wands at her, using all their self control to keep from hexing her into oblivion.

"Severus is right," Minerva said. "In my experience, children who run off like this need time to sort things out for themselves, but need someone their age to talk to. We need someone strong, and powerful, but who bears no grudges against her. Someone from the Slytherin house."

"I know just the person," Severus nodded. "Draco will do anything I tell him to, and will immediately stick up for Kiru in any situation. I'll need to go with him a safe distance behind, just to make sure he's safe and I'm out of seeing range for her."

Kiru didn't know it, but she was getting training for the first task for the dragons. By the time she had been in the forest for a day, she'd killed off two giant spiders, fended off a centaur who mistook her for something else (to which it apologized profusely, saying that it would repay the girl later), wrangled a Hippogriff, terrified the herd of Thestrals, and still managed to keep track of the unicorn.

It was nightfall, and still no signs of anyone. She stayed with the unicorn again, relying on it for strength and food and shelter. Thunder clapped, and the girl frowned, knowing it was a very bad idea to be under a tree or in a cave during the storm. She nestled herself into a cave that the unicorn led her to, which was heavily covered in moss and tree roots. It was so heavily protected she had to crawl in, and petted the animal's muzzle before it ran off to find its own shelter. More and more time passed, and gradually, she realized what else was in the cave with her: a green snake with golden eyes. She grinned, holding it close for comfort, letting it rub its cheek against her own. Gradually, the sound of the rain and the snake's soothing presence lulled Kiru to a deep and dreamless sleep.

The first time Snape went out into the forest was the night that Kiru disappeared, and it was without Draco because Chessie had given him detention just to spite Snape. He pulled out his wand, holding it in his hand openly, and whispered "Point me, Kiru Snape." Immediately, it pointed the way to his daughter, who was no doubt cold and hungry by now. He called out to her many times, and could have sworn he saw an imprint of a unicorn and a small child in the dirt near the lake. He shook his head, knowing that the very idea of his daughter attracting a unicorn was preposterous without the help of the Minuet of Woods. He reluctantly went back to the castle after a few hours of not finding her. 'How far could one child get into the forest on her own?' he wondered.

The next night, Draco Malfoy and Severus Snape headed into the forest, dark storm clouds coming upon the horizon. They'd been forced to wait until now to try to find her, but they still had limited time, even if it was a Friday night. They were quickly running out of daylight, and weren't getting very far without seeing the remains of what they both knew to be giant spiders. Using his own wand as a pointer, Severus relied on Draco's for a light. The two wizards raced through the forest, searching frantically, with no success. Out of nowhere, centaurs appeared, and the Potions master immediately was on the defensive.

"What are you doing? Get out of our lands," the leader spat angrily. "We'd be destroying you if you didn't have the foal with you that was cowering."

"I've come to retrieve another one of my…foals, sir," Snape replied calmly, "she's been missing for about two days now."

"Ah, the little black haired filly," the gentle one said, the one that had attacked Kiru. "I saw her yesterday, I mistook her for another monster since she was leaned over a unicorn. They both escaped unharmed, but I'm afraid I don't know where they went. She was still riding the unicorn last I saw her."

"Unicorn?" Draco asked incredulously. "There's unicorns out here?"

"Silence, Draco," Snape scolded. "I apologize for the colt. As you can see, he and the filly are both a little wet behind the ears."

"Hiruzen," the centaur said. "If I may, I will lead these two as best I can to the filly. The sooner we get her into the stallion's hands, the sooner they all leave."

"Fine," the lead centaur grumbled. "But you aren't giving them rides! I'm not stupid, I remember how you gave the Potter boy a ride, Firenze."

"Of course," Firenze replied. "I was naïve, and the boy was too young to know how to properly defend himself. I felt it best at the time to defend him, and this girl is just as inexperienced as he was."

"The Filly's a musiclancer, Firenze," he snorted in disgust.

"Without a musical instrument," Firenze reminded. "Wait here. I will find something for the two of you to ride so that you may keep up with me."

"Why not one of those things that pulls the carriages?" Draco asked curiously.

"Ah, well thought, Draco," Firenze commended. "Thestrals are their proper names." Firenze whistled shrilly a few times, and soon two Thestrals were racing into the clearing. "Here, get on."

The two obeyed, Snape reluctantly, but they were soon well on their way towards Kiru's cave. However, rain soon started pouring down, and the two Slytherins were soon soaked to the bone. Reluctantly, Firenze looked around and found the cave Kiru was in, and the trio searched for hours in vain to find the sleeping girl whose hideout they passed. They continued pacing outside, until finally, the Potions Master figured it out.

"Draco, try to get past those roots and moss vines," he instructed. "See if she's hiding in there."

Draco poked his head in, literally, and looked into the dark cave. He could hear a hissing noise, which he knew meant a snake was in there, and saw golden orbs glowing up at him and assessing him. He let his eyes adjust, and poked his wand in, dimly lighting the cave just enough so he could see Kiru. He weaseled his way out, and nodded to the Professor, who sighed with relief. The Potions Master urged him forward, pulling some moss aside so Draco could go in and talk with Kiru to see what was wrong and why she was upset.

"Kiru," Draco whispered as Snape backed away onto the top of the cave, listening carefully using a spell to amplify the sound waves into his ears. "Kiru, wake up. It's me, Draco Malfoy. Kiru, wake up."

"Mmn," she murmured, opening her eyes groggily. "Draco?"

"Yes, it's me," he said gently, caressing her face to let her know he was real. "Are you hurt? Do I need to run back and get help?"

"No, please don't! you don't understand!" Kiru begged. "I don't want to go back!"

"Why not?" Draco asked, his eyes now clouding with worry. Kiru was always so happy-go-lucky unless you'd done some serious damage to her emotional harpsichord. "What's wrong? What happened?"

"Everything's wrong! Every time I do something even the tiniest bit wrong, dad scolds me and treats me like a two year old! He – the other day he – he," she sobbed, putting her face onto his shoulder to cry.

"Shh, I'm here. I'll listen, I promise," Draco said gently, rubbing her back.

He knew how to please women, he knew what they liked. He'd been taught by his father to always be a gentleman, but to pay special attention to Kiru's emotional mood swings since they could be used to their advantage. The only advantage Draco saw as of yet was a better potions grade and his best friend back, and not to mention a certain snarky Slytherin head getting back to his grumpy self, but right now the man was absolutely horrifying by docking points for simply breathing loudly in the dungeons.

"He – he – Oh, Draco, daddy hates me! I knew it, I knew it!" Kiru sobbed. "Ever since my name came out of that stupid cup, daddy's been treating me like it's my fault and that I deserve what I got, and I – I – I honestly think he wants me dead now, Draco!"

"No, no, Kiru," Draco soothed in a shocked voice. "Professor Snape – the Potions one – would never want you dead! You're his daughter, for Merlin's sake! Come on, I've got an idea. Why don't we prove to him that you're so good and deserved to get your name called out by beating the first task in first place. How's that sound?"

"but I'm not good at anything but as a musiclancer, and I'm not supposed to do that for the tournament," Kiru sobbed further as her father slowly left his hiding spot. "Draco, I'm cold. It's so cold in here."

"I know, I wish I knew the spell, but I don't," he said sadly. "Wait here, I need to check on something outside. I'll be right back, don't worry!" Draco peeked out above the cave, and his eyes widened in shock at the sight – gone! Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen, and Draco didn't know the warming spell at all. He sighed, crawling and sqeezing his way back into the cave.

"Well?" Kiru asked worried, the snake hissing angrily. "_**Stop it, Orochikage. He's a friend.**_"

"It's nothing, I thought I heard something," Draco assured, pulling her close. "I don't know the warming spell, so we're just going to have to make do with keeping close tonight and keeping our cloaks underneath us and above us in layers, okay?"

"Okay," Kiru murmured, her chin soon on Draco's chest after he'd laid her cloak out on the ground and cast a hovering charm on his. He let it drop, and it fell as a blanket on the two Slytherins. "Draco, why is dad always mad at me?"

"Kiru, in my experience, Professor Snape is mad at anyone and everyone for no particular reason," he assured. "It's not just you. He even gets snarky and jerkwad with me sometimes over the tiniest of things."

"Draco, will you promise me something?" Kiru asked after a few minutes of silence.

"Anything," the blonde promised. "Well, just about."

"Could you – I mean, do you think – why do people get married?" Kiru asked, too scared to speak her mind. "Sorry. What I'm trying to say is – will you promise me that we'll be friends like this for as long as we can?"

"For as long as we can make this last, I promise," he said, holding up his pinky finger. She gasped, recognizing the muggle pinky swear. "Pinky Swear. Don't ask – some sixth year taught it to me."

"Thanks, Draco," she whispered as she intertwined their pinky fingers. "This means a lot to me."

"You know something," Draco grinned. "Weasley's note last year at the ending feast was vulgar, but it was true. You're the most beautiful woman I've ever met, Slytherin, or otherwise. Even prettier than my mom, and that's saying something."

"Really? You don't think I'm a monster?" Kiru gasped.

"Monster? Monster?" Draco asked, partially insulted, pulling out his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A large, long silver snake burst out of the end of his wand, weaving its way around them happily. Kiru stared, tears forming in her eyes.

"Oh, Draco," she sobbed. "Expecto Patronum!" the familiar long dragon burst out of her wand, and he gasped in awe. "Draco, I can't take it anymore! I – I think I love you, Draco!"

The young Malfoy slid his hands into the crook of her back in reply, bringing her into a warm, yet wet, kiss, whispering to her dark secrets that he'd told to nobody else. She retaliated with secrets of her own, and after a few hours, Draco was watching her sleep peacefully. He frowned, an unfamiliar itching coming from his groin. He shook his head, realizing it was hormones, and told himself to stop it and go to sleep. Needless to say he had a very, very long detention set in front of him if the Potions Master caught them like this.

* * *

What do you think Snape (the adult male one) will do? Yes, Kiru's in love with Draco, we've already established that. Anyhow, Enjoy!

Oh, and review if you like.


	6. The First Task

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The next morning, the staff called another emergency meeting. Severus Snape was a disheveled mess, having just gotten back from being in the forbidden forest all night, ranting away about how they had to now get rid of the giant spiders and to get the centaurs under control enough for them to search the forest and look for students that were lost.

Needless to say, the entire staff was more shocked when Severus revealed that he had been forced to leave Draco behind by the centaurs since he was hidden in a cave while it rained, and Severus couldn't fit inside said cave. Again, the Muggle Studies teacher exploded with anger, and again, Severus retaliated, this time by actually kicking her in the gut to knock the wind out of her so he could keep explaining his side of the story.

As it was, Severus was already stressed with Chessie for a factor in alongside his job. Now he had to go looking for his daughter and one of his few tolerable students. Great, just what he needed. This time, however, Albus went with him, and kindly explained to Hiruzen, the head centaur, why they were in the forest so much. Hiruzen was extremely angry, but ordered the herd to leave the staff members alone while a student was with them, and if there was a student with them within the past few hours of their being alone.

Lucky for Severus, two thestrals raced up towards him, and the same one let him mount again. This time, however, he rode straight for the cave he'd left Draco in. Much to his surprise, he found them awake, and eating what looked like a cluster of different berries and meats. They swerved their heads, and Kiru stormed off past him, and mounted a unicorn that Severus had passed. He stared as she flicked her wrists and sent the unicorn racing for the castle. He raced to his thestral, and Draco to his, and they rode to the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Kiru had just reached the edge of the forest when they had as well. The two wizards thanked the thestrals, rewarding them with the leftover meat from Draco's campfire. Kiru rewarded the unicorn with the veggies and herbs from her campfire. They strode towards the castle, each one not knowing what to say to the others.

_How do I explain this to dad? Tell him, oh, I'm tired of taking everyone's crap that keeps me from getting my work done and focusing on anything? Tell him, everyone hates me, why can't you just homeschool me? _Kiru grumbled. _And Draco…he must think I'm a complete dunce! I'd be dead if I hadn't found that unicorn, but it's still not fair! Even the teachers hate me for reasons I have no idea for! It's probably cause of who my mom was…_

_How do I scold her without hurting her again? _Snape pondered. _I can't exactly scold Draco since he was helping and only trying to stay alive…_

_I'm in such big trouble, _Draco mentally whimpered. _Professor Snape's mad at me, and Potter's likely to think that I raped Kiru-san. I just wish that he would get it into his stupid scar-head that I'm a virgin._

"Kiru," Snape said slowly as they approached the castle. He was now suddenly glad he hadn't had to raise her or he'd go insane. "I understand that you're tired of how the others treat you, but you must also be as ignorant to their emotions as they are to yours. Not all the teachers hate you, Kiru, just a certain few who seem convinced you're a Death Eater for hell knows why. Draco, I'm not angry with you, but if I catch you in a situation like the one in the cave again, I will personally assign you detention until the Triwizard tournament is over."

"Occlumency is cheating, dad," Kiru screamed, storming into the Slytherin commons and slamming the door to her 'bedroom' closed.

"Professor, perhaps you should go for a more caring approach?" Draco asked, but shut his mouth at one of Snape's infamous glares.

"Detention, Mr. Malfoy," Snape snapped. "Straight to bed, now."

Kiru pulled out the figurine of the dragon. Of course, she'd be the one to go first with the most dangerous dragon they had, second only to Harry's. She had no talent for flying, or for physicals either. She did, however, have a talent none of them had – potions. After getting out of the forest, she'd spent the whole rest of her first preparation period making potions to stun or confuse the dragon. She knew it was difficult, and that nobody had helped her, but she hoped that this would finally get Snape to realize that she was his daughter, and got only her looks from Sarabella. She was starting to see a temper resemblance to both her mother and her father now that she'd gotten to know him.

Snape stared as his daughter raced out onto the field, a small sash upon her waist. A sash that was all too familiar to him – he'd given it to Sarabella, to conceal her many various weapons in for later, but why Kiru was wearing it he didn't know. He knew she'd gone to Chessie for advice, but was this really the right thing for his little girl to be doing? On the outside, he may have had a completely calm and composed front, but on the inside it was full grown pandemonium. On the one hand, he wanted to jump in and stop the match. However, on the other, he wanted to see how she'd manage without the ocarina.

Kiru reached into her pocket, returned a vial to normal, and threw it at the dragon. It landed the dragon's muzzle squarely, but to everyone's shock it was a smoking potion that would smoke when it came upon a leathery substance. Snape recognized it easily, raising his eyebrows at Kiru's creativeness of using the dragon's hide to her advantage. Kiru threw a second, then a third bottle, both more smokescreen potions, with varying colors of green and black. She darted forward, reaching for the eggs, and just barely scraping out a retreat intact. She spotted the golden egg safely away from the others as a result of her attempt, and crept for it. The dragon sniffed, rearing up, and lunged for her, taking great care not to squish its remaining eggs. She threw an anti-fire potion down her throat, the same one that Harry had drunken in his first year at Hogwarts.

The dragon just barely missed hitting her with its fire, and she knew she had to use this potion only once. Just as she got to the eggs, she sent up another potion – this one to send out a blinding flash that would temporarily cause anyone to see double. She threw it in the dragon's face, landing a perfect bull's eye. She lunged for the egg, snatched it, and held it up in the air triumphantly. Just as she was about to the permanent safety, the fire from the dragon hit her back, but the potion kept her safe from any harm. The entire stadium panicked until they realized what her potion did that she had drunk and she came out of the fires unscathed. Severus and Chessie glared at each other, breathing sighs of relief and recalling how they'd gotten married and how the circumstances were eerily similar to Kiru's being forced into the Triwizard tournament. They shuddered with hatred, sighting a disturbingly familiar face in the crowd known as Lucius Malfoy. It wasn't just him, either – a number of death Eaters were there as well. Chessie sighed, exhausted more and more by the effort of having to keep up a ruse in front of her husband. She loved him, but the hate and anger that had literally rolled off him in waves when he'd yelled at her honestly scared her and hurt her.

She hated Death Eaters with a passion, with him being the only exception to the rule. Thankfully, he-who-must-not-be-named believed Severus when he informed the former that Chessie's father was a Japanese wizard who had decided to blend in with the Muggle world, much to Chessie's dismay and his disgust. Thus, Chessie knew that it was only a matter of time before the Snake's thoughts would turn to her to use her in some sort of wicked experiment or to brand her. Thankfully, the first task finished with Kiru in first, Harry in second, and the two others in third and fourth. Not that they cared.

However, students and staff alike were now on their last nerve with the two Snape Professors. She, being extremely moody and easily provoked, while he always docking points and dishing out detentions at regular intervals. Filch was also at his wits end trying to come up with things for them to do, but was happy to find the relief from most of his duties during the day – well, until Chessie let him into her History of Magic Classroom finally. Then, he'd freaked out and commanded her to arrange for a toilet or something in there. Chessie was also suffering from high estrogen levels, but only Madame Pomfrey, Ginny Weasley, and Albus Dumbledore knew of this, all of which promised an oath of silence.

It was with these facts in mind that they were desperate to put her and Severus back together, which wouldn't happen in a million years, not if she could help it. Finally, after both teachers had stayed at the school to avoid each other – both thinking the other had gone home after their most recent fight – the Tranfiguration teacher seized her chance. She called Severus up to her office to see if they could talk and try to bridge things between the Slytherins and Gryffindors, but left on the pretense that she'd forgotten to do something important. When she returned with Chessie, they stared in shock at her actions, and Minerva McGonagall shoved the young adult into her office, putting wards up to keep the two inside and leaving to go back to teaching class. Professor Binns was substituting for class, much to the delight of the students in History of Magic, and the Potions was being substituted by Alastor Moody, who was being substituted for by Professor Dumbledore himself.

Naturally, as soon as the two Snape teachers were locked into Professor McGonagall's office, they screamed at each other angrily until they could scream no more. The entire student body over the course of the level of the Gryffindor's office and the levels just above and below could hear the two screaming in finality as they attempted to focus in class, but failing miserably. Finally, after who knew how long, they began reading all the books that the old woman had in her office before turning back to throwing angry insults at each other.

"You-you-you!" she raged when she saw him. "You hawk nosed, oil headed, constantly foul-tempered bastard, heartless git, slimy snake, dungeon bat, Snivellus!"

"Oh, and you think you're so perfect?" the Potions master roared at her. "You're an oversized hopeless child, hyperactive lunatic, raving dunderhead, worse-than-Weasley's-Prankster, a cocky bitch, endless hairball, Cheshire Mat!"

"I hate you!" she screamed, her words cutting him to the core. "I swear, as soon as I get out of here I'm going to go to my cousin and strangle him for blackmailing me!"

"Really," he retorted just as loudly, "Because this heartless git knows enough to make your life hell and to force you to stay with a potent love potion or worse!"

"You bastard! I never should have married you! I regret the idea that it sounded good!" she screamed, and he, refusing to believe it, brandished his wand.

"Legilimens," he roared, invading her mind before she could react. He saw the memories, the pain she'd felt at his harsh scolding, and the shock of the pregnancy test revealing that she was pregnant with his child. He withdrew, too shocked to stop her from driving him out. "Chessie…"

"Now you know," she whimpered as tears ran down her face. "I was going to save it and tell you at Christmas if I felt lonely, but the gig is up now." The Potions Master said nothing, pulling her into a loving, but tight, embrace.

"My god," he murmured. "Me, raising an infant…"

"The very thought of it makes my skin crawl," Chessie growled, shuddering slightly.

"Of course," he said gently, looking into her onyx eyes with his obsidian, his eyes hardening sternly with what she knew was a scolding. "You will _not_ hide something like that from me again."

"I only found out just before I came back," Chessie admitted sheepishly. "I wanted to wait till Christmas so you could see I'd gained weight and not be able to deny it."

"Don't think I'll let you use that as an excuse for being over-emotional," Snape said teasingly, kissing his wife tenderly after seeing the shocked look on her face. "And don't even think about saying it."

"Oh, I dare. I think it's time we went back to – wow, that time already – eat, my foul-tempered dungeon bat," she grinned pecking him on the lips. They sent down their patronus, the two intertwined, and McGonagall took the wards down on the way to dinner.

Naturally, those who'd heard the yelling weren't shocked in the slightest, while the Durmstrang and Beauxbaton's students were staring at the two maniacal teachers in pure terror. The students, knowing what had happened last time they'd started a food fight (which was no desserts for three weeks) didn't dare to start another one. Without prompting, Chessie took Mad-eye's seat and began eating quickly, watching Severus slip something into her pocket. She raised an eyebrow, and pulled out a familiar vial that she knew must have been a nutrient potion. Naturally, Rita Skeeter wasn't allowed to talk about their wedding or anyone being born into their family, or anything else about the staff at Hogwarts – at least not without Severus' permission. Harry was quite glad, as it left him out of the limelight in the newspaper.

And, of course, the insane looks that the teachers were giving the Snape duo were all saying the same thing: _thank heavens that's over_. They ignored the rest of the staff, until one particularly angry Muggle Studies Professor stormed up to them, and began screaming and ranting angrily at them for disrupting her class with their shouting match. So, by the time she'd finished screaming at them, the whole school knew that their two Snape teacher's had gotten into an argument. Whether as siblings or as spouses, the vast majority were still completely clueless, since the teachers never spoke of it.

"Have you no shame?" the teacher screamed at them, and Severus glanced at his wife, who was glancing at him, both knowing exactly how to get back at the woman.

"You know," Chessie said sweetly in a low voice. "I could _easily _destroy any reputation you've got. I'm personally acquainted with Rita Skeeter, who would love nothing more than a good story on the front page about the Muggle Studies teacher throwing a tantrum and setting a _horrible _example for the students. We wouldn't want that, now would we?"

"Tempting," the Potions Master said with a sigh. "So very tempting." _And not to mention embarrassing for the rest of us._

"I hope you two are used in the second task," she spat, and Snape sent a tripping jinx upon the woman as she retreated angrily.

"Don't," he cut Chessie off. "I know I'm going to regret this – what do you have up your sleeve?"

"Well, what do you say to a little visit to Hogsmeade next weekend?" she piqued with an evil grin, causing her husband to grin alongside her, which scared any and all students – and a good amount of the staff – greatly. "After all, Halloween is almost upon us, and I want to be ready. Besides, I was thinking that the two of us could – how shall I word this? – play around to scare the students."

"You wicked, wicked woman," Severus sneered. "I love the way you think."

"Why, thank you," she smirked. "I'll be sure to help our other students enjoy more terror come – oh, say, Thanksgiving? Perhaps we should think of using the potion then?"

"Yes, indeed," Snape smirked. "And then get me to laugh on Christmas, kiss you in January in public, wear red on Valentine's Day – so long as you promise not to turn it into what Lockhart did – wear Green on St. Patrick's day, Pastel green on Easter, and actually do something for Mother's day."

"I'll get to work on how to scare the rest of the students during the other months," she smirked evilly.

* * *

So, do you like how I did the first task? Yes, Snape's growing a sense of humor, but only to keep Chessie happy and from killing him.

Or is he?

Review please! Any ideas as to what you want some people to do in book seven will be most welcome!


	7. The 2nd & 3rd Tasks

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Naturally, they'd taken the back route that they knew of, so they headed through the tunnels and into the Shreiking Shack. They laughed at the ingeniousness of it all, knowing no student would _dare _follow them in here since they'd gotten past the Whomping Willow. They sighed in content, watching the snow fall peacefully and letting the sweet sound of silence fill the area. They remained there for a while in peaceful bliss when their silence was broken by a very upset Dobby apparating a very angry – and covered in chocolate – Dudley.

The two adults glared at him, and he cringed in fear, terrified. He lived virtually alone now, but had these two house elves keeping tabs on him – apparently Chessie would have to fill in for Defense Against the Dark Arts next year. They growled in frustration, and Snape jerked his hand to the back of Dudley's neck, glaring at him angrily for what seemed to Chessie and Dudley like hours. They could feel the fact that Severus was radiating bloodlust, greatly wanting to beat the boy into oblivion.

"That is your final warning, _boy_," Snape snarled before lashing the boy out onto the floor. Dobby grabbed Dudley's arm before apparating back to Privet Drive.

"Sev," Chessie said gently. "What if – what if I can't keep the baby?"

"That's absurd," Snape snapped. "Only a fool would take a child from its parents before it was old enough to properly talk."

"You-know-who did," Chessie pointed out, thinking of Harry. "I wouldn't blame Potter-san for wanting to kill him."

"Potter is supposed to kill him, anyways," Snape retorted moodily.

Chessie frowned, a deep sense of foreboding rising in her gut as they made their way back to Hogwarts. The students were eager and ready to get out of the bitter cold, so he escorted most of the students back while Chessie continued to look around. She found a jewelers and a very tired Mundungus Fletcher running a small booth (not knowing who he was), but wasn't very interested in anything but a large golden locket that had an 'S' on it. She frowned, and it was calling to her for some very strange reason that she couldn't quite place. She grinned, glaring daggers at the man, who was glaring right back.

"You know, I could get you sent to Azkaban for robbing Potter of his rightful possessions," she whispered evilly. "So why don't you hand over that pretty locket in exchange for my silence?"

"I-You wouldn't," he whispered, and she grinned maniacally, pulling out a photo of her and Severus. Mundungus swallowed, terrified of the black-clad wizard. "You know Snape?"

"Like a brother," Chessie lied. "Now, unless you want me to get him over here – he is in Hogsmeade on business, you know – then I suggest that you give me that locket."

"Pleasure doing business with you," Mundungus said faking a smile. He started gathering his things, but by that time Severus had rounded the corner just in time to see Mundungus apparate away with Chessie grinning evilly.

"You saw who that was, yes?" Chessie grinned, walking up to him. "Take a look at this. It looks cursed, but I can't be sure. I didn't dare touch it with my hands, but…it looks valuable, so I blackmailed him into giving it to me."

"I see," Snape leered. "Well then, perhaps we should take it to the headmaster to see what he makes of it."

As soon as they got in Dumbledore's office, Chessie tossed the locket into the air with a doubly-gloved hand and Severus levitated it with his wand, inspecting it closely. Dumbledore's eyes calmly surveyed the necklace before he went over to his penseive. They watched calmly as he showed them what the necklace was, and their eyes widened.

"This is…an artifact of Salazar Slytherin's?" Chessie asked incredulously, not believing it. "But, who was that man, and why would he have it?"

"Mundungus Fletcher," Severus spat. "He's known for his … five-fingered discount, as you call it. It's a nasty habit of his that just so happened to work in our favor today."

"Indeed," Dumbledore said quietly. "This is, indeed, Salazar Slytherin's necklace, passed down to Voldemort's mother by lineage."

"So, you-know-who's a descendant of Slytherin?" Chessie asked terrified. "Yikes. Wait, Kiru's a descendant, why doesn't she have something of his?"

"She does," Dumbledore said simply. "The Ocarina that Salazar Slytherin's wife owned as a musiclancer, and a very skilled witch at Occlumency and potion making as well."

"Oh dear," Chessie murmured. "We're raising a…Slytherin heiress…"

"You should have told me sooner," Severus spat, "And saved us _all _the headaches."

Alas, all good charades come to an end. The second task was announced, and for some unfathomable reason, Chessie was the first chosen to be Harry's person for the task. She declined politely, knowing Severus had been his second, but had politely declined so as to help his – their – adopted son. Severus agreed, curious about it, and honestly wondering what it could be.

Chessie Snape had never panicked before, but she was honestly worried for her husband's safety when she couldn't find him. She gave Harry the Gillyweed he needed as instructed by Severus, and stood back with a towel ready. McGonagall also stood by with a towel ready, her wand also ready should the need arise. Kiru, however, had played the Serenade of Water before leaving the dungeons that morning, so she knew she was well prepared. The only difference was that she used her wand and pretended to give herself gills.

Harry was furious at the mermen, since he knew three of the four people down here. Snape wasn't his first choice, but he was the only suitable father figure he'd had in his life now that Sirius was in St. Mungo's. Chessie must have declined for some odd health reason; otherwise the Potions Master wouldn't be doing this at all, or even considering it. Hermione was dangling to Snape's left, and Draco Malfoy to Snape's right.

Harry sneered. Malfoy was obviously Kiru's prized possession, while Hermione was Krum's. The small blonde was the prize of the Beauxbaton girl, Fleur. Krum appeared at that moment, and carefully bit the chain with a transformed shark head. Harry huffed, and Kiru arrived moments later with aide from the giant squid. She snarled at the mermen, who cringed in fear. Finally, she pulled out her wand, shattering the chain below Malfoy, and kicked off the bottom of the lake to the surface. She opened up an air bubble, and he awoke with a start. She grinned. The two of them were surrounded by seaweed.

Malfoy smiled, gently and hesitantly bringing his lips to hers. His heart soared when she returned the kiss hesitantly, but they soon got control of themselves. They were on a time limit, and Kiru tapped her neck once she neared the top of the lake.

Kiru resurfaced, with Draco Malfoy in tow, both grinning like idiots since they'd been snogging underwater, a fact not yet known to the teachers. They climbed out of the water, and Chessie began drying the young blonde while McGonagall dried the second year. Finally, after about twenty minutes, Krum finally reappeared. The blonde champion hadn't made it down, and had been forced to resurface for air, but her tribute, along with Harry and Professor Snape, were still down there. No doubt Harry was trying to play hero. However, Kiru and Malfoy still weren't happy about their favorite teacher still being down inside the water. Harry wasn't either.

"Only one," the lead mermaid snarled at Harry as he tried to rescue the little girl as well as Snape.

Harry used his wand quickly, breaking both chains and surging towards the surface, straining under the weight. Out of nowhere, something grabbed him from behind, and instinctively, he let the chains go.

Snape felt his hand tugging at her, her body rising up to the surface slowly. He awoke when she finally broke the surface of the water, and carried the small foreigner to shore on his back, with no sign of Harry. He looked around – why was he not Kiru's person of choice? He then realized that aside from Arthur Weasley, he was the only father figure Harry had ever had in his life. Which was extremely sad, to say the least. Snape quickly dried himself off as Chessie dried the small girl off, scanning the waters for any sign of Harry.

Finally, five worrisome minutes later, Harry resurfaced, gasping for air. Snape held a hand out, and yanked him up back onto the platform. He'd waved his wand over them, drying them off, and was startled by Chessie yanking him backwards and fussing over him like a mother hen. He grudgingly obliged her to dry his hair off since the spell only seemed to work on their clothes for some odd reason, but it was probably since there were two of them to dry off. Harry, of course, was being profusely thanked by the Beauxbaton girl and received a kiss on the cheek. Severus had to keep himself from smirking in amusement. At length, the time came for the points to be awarded.

"In first place was Miss Kiru Snape, with a record breaking time, and a score of four-hundred and sixty points, for an excellent show of talent at such a young age and with remarkable speed!" he announced, and the Slytherins and quite a few teachers burst into applause delightedly as Snape clapped his hand on her back proudly. "In second place, we have Mr. Harry Potter, who took the longest time and far exceeded the time limits, but received four hundred points since he rescued another when the champion could not!" a burst of applause from all of Hogwarts except those Slytherins and a few redheaded Gryffindors. "In third place, we have Victor Krum, with four hundred points as well for his quick thinking with the transfiguration." The Durmstrang students cheered loudly as Hermione blushed deeply. "Lastly, we have Miss Fleur Delacour from Beauxbatons with one hundred points for sure efforts and courage." The Beauxbaton's cheered alongside some of the catcalls from the Hogwarts students.

They ignored the announcements for the most part since they could do the simple math – Harry and Kiru were tied for first place, while the other two schools were warring for third place. Naturally, neither of them cared who won – as long as Hogwarts won and they both survived. Chessie stared at her step-daughter, wondering what Alastor Moody was up to. Severus stared at Kiru, pride all over his face and his heart on his sleeve, for once.

The golden trio could have sworn they saw the Potions Master smile, and they shuddered at the thought.

Just after the second task ended, Chessie disappeared mysteriously. Severus was at his wits' end trying to stay composed, but to no avail, and had gone back to docking massive points and the students were more terrified of him than ever. The days passed into weeks which passed into months. She never showed, so Severus assumed the worst and went to Voldemort for help. The snake, being a heartless bastard, refused, laughing at Severus' misfortune at losing another woman and the Death Eater had sulked out to find Remus Lupin. Just as he found him, Lupin was also upset – _very _upset. He apparently wasn't supposed to be talking to Severus, but obliged him to keep an eye out for Chessie since her cousin had used Fenrir Greyback as a threat.

At length, the time came for the final tasks, and, using the Prelude of Light, Kiru got a glimpse of what would happen if she didn't play the Nocturne of Shadow. Thus, the morning of the first tasks, Kiru secretly played the Nocturne of Shadow and the Serenade of Water. She gorged herself on breakfast while Severus barely ate. The third task came up, and everything went smoothly. Harry and Kiru ducked and dodged past the Sphinx, boggart, a few blast-ended screwts, and the two other champions. They'd run into Fleur and Krum, both of whom were under the Imperius Curse. In a long duel, the four teens ended up at a standstill until finally, Kiru broke through as Fleur tried to drown her.

"Drown her!" she commanded the water, and it bent backwards on its mistress, almost killing the blonde and breaking Viktor Krum's concentration on Harry. "Water Whips!"

"Nice! Livicorpus!" Harry yelled, sending the two upwards and he grabbed a club that Kiru transfigured from the water into ice.

"This is for trying to kill us!" Kiru yelled angrily, ramming the ice club against each of their heads angrily, knocking them out stone cold. "Come on, Harry – I can see the Goblet just ahead!"

"You take it," Harry said calmly. "You defeated them fair and square."

"I wouldn't have made it this far without your help," Kiru admitted. "You take it. Besides, I've got a bad feeling about this. Maybe we should both resign..."

"What? Why?" Harry asked, giving her a look that questioned everything including her sanity.

"Well, I played the Prelude of Light last night, and – and I saw that the Goblet is a portkey," Kiru admitted.

"Poppycock," Harry scoffed. "It's probably just back to the entrance."

"It's possible," Kiru muttered, still unsure of whether or not to take it, a sinking feeling in her gut. "I guess."

They stared at the Goblet, not sure of which of them should take it. In the end, they shrugged, lunging forward to take it together. Immediately, they knew they'd done the wrong and felt the familiar Portkey sensation behind their navels. They landed in a dark location, unsure of their surroundings until Kiru heard the voices that she knew meant a graveyard.

* * *

You all know what happens next, but will Kiru meet her end like Cedric would have?

Review, please! please!

You know you want to.


	8. Graveyards and Beyond

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"_**Kill the girl,**_" they heard, and Kiru snapped to attention.

"Protect me!" she yelled, summoning Myrtle from the ground out of nowhere. "Thanks, Myrtle."

"You!" Myrtle screamed, glaring at the small fetus-looking thing in Pettigrew's arms. Harry was thrown backwards onto a statue of the Grim Reaper. "You're the one who killed me! I'd recognize that disgusting language anywhere – that's him, Kiru!"

"_**So, a necromancer? How interesting…but it is not you I need now. It's the boy. Ah, Potter, it's been a very, very long time…Don't fear, you won't be joining your mother and father until I get what I want from you,**_" Voldemort sneered in Parseltongue.

"_**Tom Marvolo Riddle,**_" Kiru spat. "_**I'd recognize you anywhere. Myrtle said you killed her – meaning you're the one who opened the Chamber of Secrets Fifty-two years ago. A shame that you can't get past a necromancer. It really is a shame that you, at age fifty-something were defeated by an infant in diapers who couldn't even properly talk or use the bathroom yet.**_"

"Silence!" Voldemort screamed, and Kiru was suddenly writhing on the ground from a Cruciatus Curse. "I will not tolerate such impudence one more time! The next time you speak out of line, you _will _take the Dark Mark, child. Now tell me, who is your father?"

"_**Shield my mind,**_" Kiru whispered towards the ghosts in the graveyard, who were more than willing to shield her mind from Voldemort's wrath and Legimency. "_**Now, Voldemort, Tom Riddle, Blubbering idiotic fetus – whatever they call you – you're going down tonight!**_"

"Foolish child! Wormtail, the potion!" Voldemort spat, and Peter Pettigrew began muttering things that Kiru couldn't hear. She watched him take a bone from a grave and put it in, then a slice and some blood from Harry. Finally, he added his own right hand.

"Potion, don't let him in! James Potter, I summon you!" Kiru yelled, desperate. "Potion, get into the flask, and don't burn it!"

The potion fled into an enlarged flask that Kiru had put upon her waist inside her sash, which Voldemort now noticed with a scream of rage. Just as she did, James Potter reappeared, more than angry at the Snake-man. He vanished the rest of the potion, leaving a small amount. Kiru gasped as she realized the plan that Dumbledore set into place.

"Let him in," she whispered, and the potion's remains crept over the dying man, Harry writhing in pain all the while.

"Yes, yes," Voldemort grinned. "Wormtail, your arm. Not that one, the left one, you fool!"

"Yes master," he whispered, holding it out for his master to summon the rest of the Death Eaters. Kiru noticed that her father wasn't among them, and was glad for the relief in the fact that he was still loyal to her and her mother's death.

Twelve Death Eaters arrived on the scene, and Kiru recognized every single one of them as parents of those others in Slytherin who were purebloods. She growled angrily, her rage building. James put a hand on her shoulder, motioning for her to be silent still. It was Lily's protection that kept them safe, and now it was ruined, and they knew it.

"Now," Voldemort sneered. "I shall rule again. And this time, I can touch the brat who lived."

"No!" Harry screamed as Voldemort put his thumb on top of Harry's lightning bolt scar. "Stop!"

"Foolish boy! Stand up and fight like a man! Die standing tall, just like your father!" Voldemort screamed, thrusting Harry his wand. "Come on, get up! Surely Dumbledore taught his favorite pet how to duel?"

"No," Kiru objected, and Voldemort glared.

"_**Not another word out of you, girl, or I **_**will **_**kill you**_," he screamed, pointing his wand at her.

"I'm probably going to get hell for this, but – Dead of the Graveyard, come to my aide! Protect me and my teenage friend!" Kiru yelled, thrusting her fists and nails into the ground.

The ground suddenly began to quake, and the skeletons of dozens of ghosts and murdered people were upon the earth, jaws hinging and unhinging angrily. They surged forward, each Death Eater now fighting five skeletons while Voldemort fought with Harry. He was furious, they both were. Harry kept ducking and dodging behind gravestones, his life on the line.

"Myrtle, in the Potion!" Kiru hissed, and the Ravenclaw girl nodded quickly. She poured a small amount of the potion over her head, causing her form to solidify. "Now, go over to the Portkey, but don't touch it. Potter-san, you too."

"Ah, announcing him to the world?" James smirked. "Not bad, kid. But then they'll all think you're a necromancer."

"No, not if Myrtle and I say that the potion was used to summon you," Kiru whispered.

"Wait, why me?" Myrtle frowned. "Oh, we say that and say that I was held prisoner for years since I was little, right?"

"Exactly," Kiru smirked. "All we have to do is let Harry in on it somehow but not Modly-Voldy."

"_**GIRL!**_" Voldemort screamed, breaking his concentration on Harry. Harry ducked sideways over to where they were, and they dodged forwards, Kiru grabbing onto Harry with one hand and Voldemort with the other. James grabbed Myrtle with one hand and Harry with the other, while Harry had one hand on Kiru and the other on his wand.

"Accio Cup!" Kiru yelled, and the cup whooshed forwards, taking them back towards the stadium.

In a flash, the stands were filled with panic, and the ministry was forced to keep everyone in their seats, since few knew what Voldemort actually looked like.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort screamed, not realizing where he was, and James ducked in front of Harry.

"_**Dad!**_" Harry panicked, suddenly filled with rage.

"Myrtle, now!" Kiru yelled, and the girl managed to stun Voldemort. It was a three against one battle now, and Voldemort was getting increasingly furious.

"Immobilize!" she yelled, her eyes alight. Somehow, this fight was renewing everything she wanted in life. Voldemort froze momentarily just long enough for Kiru to pour the potion on James Potter.

"Harry, get your dad and run!" Kiru yelled, and the duo ran. Harry, however, was being carried out by a panicking James. Kiru and Myrtle raced out alongside, Voldemort chasing after them into the Forbidden Forest. Wormtail apparated alongside his master and joined the chase in hot pursuit.

"Let me go! Damn it, that's Voldemort! Kiru, he'll kill you!" Harry screamed, and the stands were now full blown panic in the Quidditch pitch they'd left. They knew that somehow a necromancer had been found, and that the potion Kiru carried made the necromanced summoning permanent, but were now unsure of where to go from here.

"That's right, Potter! You'd better run! You should have done that last time," Voldemort cackled, but was almost shot by a killing curse from Kiru. "Damn it, GIRL! I will kill you if it's the last thing I do!"

"Nyaa nyaa!" Kiru said sticking out her tongue, then squealing as she dodged a killing curse.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort yelled angrily, and the spell hit Harry as Kiru dodged. "Hah!"

"No! _**Potter-san! No! damn it, snake bastard, I'LL KILL YOU!**_" Kiru screamed, red splotching her vision, her breathing labored now.

Harry awoke at King's Cross. He looked around, and found himself looking at his mother, Lily Evans Potter.

"Mom!" he yelled delighted, until he realized what had happened. "Oh, no! I'm dead, aren't I?"

"Yes, and no," she smiled gently. "You can choose to live. You see, while he tried to kill you, he put a piece of himself in you. By hitting you with that killing curse again, he removed it from you. Your body is now completely your own, son."

"Wow. Mom – Kiru! She – she- dad- she summoned dad and used that potion on him! What'll happen now?" Harry asked, a frown on his face.

"Well, dear, your father isn't supposed to be out of the grave. He died valiantly – he very much preferred the way he died. He'd prefer to die the same way, only this time, be the one to sacrifice himself for you instead of me," she said gently. "Your father and I love you, and we enjoy visiting you, don't get me wrong, but – we don't want a second chance at life. We loved it just the way it was."

"Really?" Harry asked, and she nodded. "Mum, how do you know about Professor Snape?"

"Hm? Oh, Severus? Ah, Heh, that is a tricky little bugger to answer," she grinned sheepishly. "You see, he taught me that I was a witch, all the way up until McGonagall came to our doorstep. Oh, he was so happy when we got to go to Diagon Alley together. I'm glad you're living with him, Harry. He'd have been a very good Uncle towards you. I'm sorry you had to live with Petunia."

"But, I don't get it. Is he dad's brother or something?" Harry asked confused, and was shocked when Lily laughed.

"Oh, good heavens no! Severus and your father _hated _each other!" she laughed. "Sev was in Slytherin, your father in Gryffindor. I guess you could say it was them two fighting over who got to marry me."

"Oh," Harry said, feeling extremely awkward. "Um…Why?"

"They both loved me!" Lily said, smacking her son on the back. "You see, Severus was always a bit of a loner, and well – he was extremely upset one day when your father had been especially cruel to him after our O.W.L.s were over, and Severus had a slip of the tongue. Very much like young Mr. Malfoy did towards Miss Granger."

"Snape called you a Mudblood?" Harry asked incredulously, shocked.

"Oh yes, but he spent the rest of my living life trying to make it up to me," Lily grinned. "Oh, you should have seen his face. He was so distraught when I died – I was the only woman he ever opened his heart up to, you see. I'm glad he's moved on – he deserves it. He's been protecting you all these years, you know."

"Yeah, I've been told," Harry grinned. "So, did you ever forgive him?"

"Yes," she blushed. "After Kiru summoned me the night Severus was shot by your Uncle."

"Ah," Harry said simply. "Hey, why does he hate Sirius, Remus, and – well, Wormtail I can understand – and dad?"

"Remus, Sirius, Peter, and your father – aka, Moony, Padfoot, Wormtail, and Prongs – were the Marauders while we were in school. They were always out together on nights of the full moon with Remus, and Sirius decided to play a cruel prank on Severus one month during our fifth year. I'm sure you can guess the outcome," Lily explained.

"Snape was almost bitten and dad saved his life," harry realized. "So that's why he owed dad a life debt."

"That sounds right. Get going, my little Stag. You're needed against the evil Snake," Lily smiled, and Harry nodded as he surged back towards the forest floor.

"Harry!" Kiru called out, terrified. She was almost out of magic, and had no idea if she would survive much more.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at Voldemort. He fell to the ground, and the snake, Nagini, lunged forwards to ensure the demise of the teen who caused her master's death.

"No!" Kiru panicked, but James Potter intervened.

"Hey, it's worth it," he said simply as the snake kept biting him. "I made my choice. Just keep living the way you're going, Harry. Kiru, you may be Sni- excuse me, _Snape's _daughter, but you're a good girl. I respect you. Tell your dad – tell him I'm sorry for everything. Well, except taking Lily. He'll understand."

"Thanks," Kiru grinned, thrusting a knife across the Snake's head, chopping it off. "Well, now that we know what a Horcrux is, we can hunt them down. If what I'm reading is right, there's a few more. We got rid of some of them – the Diary, the man himself, the one inside you, and the one in the snake. We're halfway done. All we gotta do now is find the other four."

"Four?" harry asked, and Kiru nodded.

"I got a look in his mind from the fragments that are dead. There's a tiara of Ravenclaw's, a ring of the Gaunt's, a locket of Slytherin's, and a cup of Hufflepuff's," Kiru explained, and Harry nodded.

"Any ideas where they are?" Harry asked, and Kiru shook her head. "Oh, well. We should probably get back. but, how?"

"Here's an idea," Kiru grinned, and whistled shrilly. All at once, the female unicorn that had become attached to her came galloping up. "Okay, Sarabella, let's go. Come on, Harry – get on!"

"I think I'll walk," Harry obliged, and Myrtle nodded as the light died from James Potter's eyes.

* * *

Okay, so now that that's over... do you think Voldy's really dead?

Review, and I promise I'll let you know how Kiru figures out Voldy's lineage and his methods of escaping death.


	9. Back in Black

As you probably should know by now, nobody on this site owns Harry Potter unless they somehow have the name of Joanne Kathleen Rowling. Which, my initials are SRCND, so no, I don't own.

_**"Parseltongue"**_

"Normal Talk"

_Thoughts/spells_

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Dumbledore sat calmly in his office, watching Severus Snape and Molly Weasley pace frantically across over and over again. Moody had disappeared, and had been caught by a rather angry Minerva McGonagall, who revealed that he was none other than Barty Crouch, Jr.

Winky panicked, and starting screaming at her former master, but to no avail. He was now immobilized in Dumbledore's office, with Arthur Weasley and Percy Weasley on either side of him. Fudge was looking around nervously, and a dragon patronus was soon seen coming through the window.

"Father, and anyone else who may be worried about Harry's and my safety – we're safe," Kiru's voice came from the serpentine dragon. "We're fine. James Potter is back in the grave where he belongs, and Myrtle is still with me. Voldemort used a potion to bring himself back, which I snatched to use on Moaning Myrtle's body to let her have a second chance at life. Harry, Myrtle and I are fine – we're on our way there now. Please don't panic."

Severus breathed a sigh of relief, but was short-lived. What had she meant 'back in the grave'? He continued to pace anxiously, not trusting the dragon patronus since Kiru was known for downplaying injuries.

"Of course!" he yelled suddenly. "Why didn't I think of it before now? Dobby!"

"Yes, Master Snape?" Dobby asked, appearing with a loud crack. "Did he get any word of Mistress?"

"Find Kiru, Harry, and Myrtle, and bring them here immediately," Snape ordered. "And don't even think about taking them to Poppy in the Hospital wing."

Dobby vanished with a crack, reappearing with another one a few seconds later, with Harry and Myrtle. He did so again, and this time returned with Kiru sitting firmly on a unicorn's back, looking very confused as to what just happened.

"Harry!" Molly cried, bringing him into a tight hug. Severus realized that they were both wearing black travelling cloaks, not unlike the ones the death eaters wore.

"Kiru," Snape sighed, pulling her into one. "Don't you ever do that again, do you hear me?"

"Not our fault," Harry reminded him. "What happened anyways? I mean, I know that it was Voldemort, and that he's dead – again. But, he was saying about having four other methods of coming back. What does that mean?"

"Albus," Snape realized. "The locket."

"How'd you know about that?" the trio asked, and Severus' eyes widened. "What?"

"Kiru," Severus warned.

"Legimency," Kiru grinned. "I used it on him while he was dueling Harry. Quite fun, really. I got a sneak peek into his brilliant – but twisted and disturbing – mind. You have to admit, when he's not in a rage, he really thinks things through."

"Speaking of which," Harry grinned. "We saw Death Eaters as well. Twelve of them. We even got names and faces. Can we show you guys with the Penseive?"

"But of course you may," Dumbledore obliged as he put it on his desk. "Now, Harry, I want you to think of the memories very clearly in your mind. We shall do the same with Miss Snape later. But, for now, I think we must get her and Miss Prince to the Hospital Wing. Severus, if you could?"

"Of course," he said quickly, herding the two girls towards the exit. Once they were out of earshot, he grinned. "It's alright. Everyone is back in their dormitories now. They're too terrified of you-know-who getting back out, and even Filch is in his office terrified. You may speak freely."

"Dad, I'm so sorry! I shouldn't have used the Nocturne of Shadow!" Kiru gasped, but he squeezed her shoulder tightly.

"It saved your life," he said simply. "I'm sure the minister will agree to let you keep your … necromancy… as long as you tell him that you can only summon each person three times and only when in a time of a major crisis when you know that you must either summon or die."

"Thank you, father," Kiru sighed. "Now what?"

"We get you two to Madame Pomfrey," Severus snorted. "Did you hear anything of your mother, Kiru?"

They all lurched onto the floor of Dumbledore's office. Fudge immediately yelled at Percy to go get Kiru, but Dumbledore stopped him.

"That won't be necessary, Cornelius. Harry, when has Kiru summoned corpses before?" the headmaster asked.

"Well, the only times that she's done it was when it was a time of either summon someone or die. She can only summon them three times. This was her third time summoning my dad," Harry explained. "I don't know what about my mom. I think she already summoned her three times."

"I see. And you're sure she's not a musiclancer?" Cornelius snarled.

"I'm sure. She can't carry a tune on any instrument to save her life," Harry scoffed. Molly and Arthur nodded, raising their eyebrows in agreement.

"Very well. Since she cannot summon those three corpses that she has summoned previously, we will allow her to keep her powers. However," Cornelius added harshly. "She is not, under any circumstances, permitted to use them for anything except for self-preservation."

"What about to protect any future home she may have?" Molly gasped, and Fudge glared at her harshly.

"We shall speak with her when she becomes pregnant," he decided. "Until then, I trust you to inform her of this decision we've made, Albus. As for Severus Snape – you're positive he was the spy?"

"I'm sure, sir," Harry nodded. "My mom's been keeping an eye on him from the other side – long story short, I almost died and got to talk to her while in limbo. She said that Professor Snape was the spy since he didn't want anything to happen to his daughter. She also said that Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy were Death Eaters."

"Fine!" Fudge snapped angrily. "Fine! He's cleared of all charges. I expect you idiots to handle the rest of those – returning methods – that _he's _got. Understand?"

"Yes, sir!" Harry mock saluted. "We'd be happy to!"

Fudge stormed off towards the fireplace, throwing a handful of Floo Powder in. He'd grabbed Barty Crouch, who was tied up and gagged, wand withheld, and threw him in before joining him in the green fires going to Azkaban. Molly and Arthur sighed, pulling Harry into a tight hug. Percy scowled, glaring harshly, and headed back towards the Ministry.

Kiru, meanwhile, was eating chocolate in the Hospital Wing, while the medic checked on Myrtle's wounds. Nothing major, they conduced, and Snape was rubbing his temples in stress. It made him look suddenly old, and Kiru didn't like it. Counting the days, Kiru gasped, and Severus' head snapped up to watch her recount things on her fingers. He leered at her, hoping she wasn't counting what he thought she was.

"Dad," Kiru said at last. "Mom was three months pregnant when she disappeared, right? Well, if we find her in September, the baby will probably be born on Valentine's day!"

"Don't remind me," Severus scowled. "I can't stand another minute of this crap. First your mother disappears, then _he _shows back up, and to top it off, we've still got exams coming up."

"Well," Kiru started, but gasped. "Dad. Dad, I think I figured it out! One of the death eaters was muttering something about a painting! Dad, I think mom's stuck inside a painting somewhere!"

"It's possible," Severus contemplated, "_If _we knew the right spell and potions."

"Severus," Minerva said walking in alongside Draco Malfoy, both hefting a large painting. "You need to see this."

"I'm sorry, Professor Snape, Kiru-san," Draco said interrupting. "This was just sent this to me. I wasn't sure what it was, but – now – I don't know what to make of it."

"Severus? Severus, get me out of here!" they heard Chessie panicking, and heard a pounding of some sort. "Blast it, Malfoy, stand me up right!"

They stared in horror as Draco unwrapped the painting once more to reveal a painting of a no longer pregnant Chessie. She was pounding against the edges of the painting, as though the looking canvas were a wall that she was pounding on to get out. She was protesting, her dress stained in blood from below the waist. She was gasping and panting heavily, sitting back down wearily to give her legs a rest. After a few minutes of breathing and panting, she resumed banging to get out.

"Chessie – Chessie, are you – miscarriage," Severus said.

"Yes. I'm sorry love – the painting is cursed to do that! Severus, there's a potion to get me out – all you have to do is combine potions with Ancient Runes! Just get me out!" Chessie wailed just before another wave of pain struck her. "Hurry, Sev! I can't heal while in the painting!"

"Minerva," Severus panicked.

"I'm going," she said sternly. "Malfoy, stay here."

Severus resumed pacing nervously. He'd only cared about another woman like Chessie once before, and he hadn't been able to save her. he turned, and raced down to the dungeons at top speed, dodging the idiotic caretaker's cat. He slammed into the door to the dungeons, not even bothering to slow down for it, yanked it open, and headed in to the dungeon. He ran towards his private stores, finding the blood-replenishing potion and the draught of living death and the removal potion he'd need.

He sneered triumphantly, taking the stairs two at a time up to the room of requirement. He gasped as he watched it open for his two cohorts, and he joined them with the stores they needed. He and Minerva stood and watched as the runes were drawn quickly, but carefully, in a star shape on the floor, hidden inside a circle. He poured the two potions where he was instructed, and the painting was soon being levitated in the air by an unseen whirlwind. Chessie screamed, and the parchment became like a liquid wall.

Severus surged forward, thrusting his arms inwards, reaching out to her as she reached out towards him. He grabbed hold of her forearms firmly, and she to his. He struggled, and with luck, and a little help from the two other staff members, was able to pull Chessie out of the painting. They fell backwards, Severus landing on his back the floor and Chessie landing on top of him in a similar manner. The two older teachers landed on two chairs that appeared as the need arose for them. The two younger teachers were grinning, and kissed before they sat up quickly. Severus quickly pulled out the final vial, uncorking it with his wand.

It was then that Severus looked to see what Chessie was wearing. It was a long black Muggle dress that fluffed out like a tavern girl's dress in the renessaince, and was very low-cut

"Thanks, love," Chessie grinned before drinking the whole thing in two gulps. "I owe you one."

"Anything for you, my love," Severus said honestly. "If it makes you happy and doesn't mean that one of us will go to Azkaban."

"As touching as this is," the Ancient Runes professor scowled. "We need to get back to bed, and to get her to Poppy."

"Severus and I will handle that," the old woman smiled gently. "I'm sure Chessie will be more likely to cooperate if we levitate a chair with her sitting on it."

"Yes, love," Chessie smirked. "Please do."

"You'd better be happy I love you," Severus snarled menacingly, yet the two women could tell he was teasing cruelly. Chessie simply grinned widely and kissed his nose, causing him to flush a slight pink with embarrassment and confusion.

* * *

Anyhow, I'm sad to say that I'm in a hurry and have to go to class.

Review, please?


	10. Spiral

Chapter Ten – Spiral's End

Kiru and Harry awoke the next morning to find that Severus had stayed the night in the Hospital Wing and had brought Chessie straight here. He was also here laying on one of the empty beds, fast asleep. The curtains were drawn in a manner that stopped people from peering in on them all. Needless to say, everyone was now on edge. They knew that Chessie was back, and that now both Snape Professors were up and about.

Within hours of waking up, and that very night, Harry, Kiru, Draco, Severus, and Chessie headed out to the end of the year feast. They could all tell that Madame Maxime was upset, but Karkaroff was gone, so Viktor took the position he held. He wasn't upset, but he had been confused until he was told that he and Fleur were put under the Imperius curse to kill Harry.

"Now, due to zealous circumstances, our points are all in the negative. I can assure you that this is no longer the case. I award ten thousand points to each house in celebration of all of our champions making it through the Triwizard tournament alive!" Dumbledore announced once the hall grew silent.

There was an outburst of applause from all of the students, but it was painstakingly obvious which house won the House cup – the Gryffindor house was the house that had the least points docked that year, somehow, and through Professor McGonagall's eager point giving for her lion cubs.

"Yes, well done, Gryffindor! However, there are a few last minute points to be awarded in light of recent events," Dumbledore said calmly. "To Mr. Draco Malfoy, I award one hundred sixty points for helping Professor Chessie Snape return here safely after being sealed inside of a cursed portrait inside the Lestrange Manor, to which he has had to steal said painting to accomplish under the direst of circumstances."

The Slytherins all raised their goblets, as well as most of the people on the staff table. The others in the Great Hall were eagerly cheering since they all knew it would sober their Potions Master up now that his wife was back and safe. Severus was laughing at their erratic behavior, and putting his arm around Chessie to let him know that he was still there for her now that she was still recovering from her miscarriage.

"Yes, thank you, Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eyes. "To Miss Kiru Snape, I award one hundred points for the safe return of a Ravenclaw girl by the name of Myrtle Fussweep." Another burst of applause, this time from both Slytherin and Ravenclaw. "And now, to our Slytherin prefects for keeping a perfect calm in the Slytherin Commons during a time of severest crises. I award the Slytherin prefects forty points."

"We're tied with the others!" Kiru whispered excitedly.

"And last, but not least – to Misses Mellicent Bullstrode, and Pansy Parkinson, for the courage and skills it took to battle Ariadne Arachne, a former Slytherin house-mate of theirs – I award them twenty points. That being said, I believe some new decorations are in order!" he said clapping his hands once, and the red and gold banners now became green and silver. "Slytherin wins the house cup!"

"Yes!" Kiru and Draco yelled, hugging each other tightly before blushing and sitting down once more once all the others had started wooing over their relationship.

"To hell with the rules!" Kiru yelled, grabbing Draco's robes and yanking him into facing her. Without a second thought, she immediately covered his lips with hers, to which he blushed scarlet.

"Lovebirds!" some of the other Slytherins crowed, but the pair paid them no mind they were so absorbed in each other. Finally, at about one in the morning, a new, and outraged, figure entered the Great Hall.

"DRACO MALFOY!" Rodolphus Lestrange roared, and Severus flicked his wand to silence the man.

"Uncle Rodolphus! How nice of you to join us!" Draco sneered. "For a funeral!"

Out of nowhere a horde of Dementors appeared, and most of the other students started screaming, all at Rodolphus' hand.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry, Kiru, Draco, Severus, and Chessie yelled in unison.

A stag, serpentine dragon, snake, thestral, and Pegasus appeared from the tips of their respective wands as the rest of the crowd stared in awe. They had never seen a thestral before, or that their History of Magic teacher would have a Pegasus for a patronus. Chessie smiled, and Snape stared at his patronus in awe, like he'd never seen it before. Chessie could tell what it was – he was confused that his patronus was a thestral instead of a doe like it had always been up until now. Dumbledore was also staring at Severus' patronus, his blue eyes twinkling mysteriously, as though he knew something that they didn't.

Meanwhile, the Dementors were scattering in fear of the five patronus charms' forms and leaving through the entrance. Once they were all gone, the doors were bolted shut, and the patronus animals went towards their respective casters. The two horse-like creatures went obediently to the staff table, while the stag vanished alongside the Gryffindor table. Draco and Kiru dropped their patronus animals just as their mentors did. Rodolphus Lestrange, however, was on the ground, having received the Dementor's Kiss, which Myrtle had witnessed. Kiru would have to use Occlumency to get the memory from her newest friend, and Severus was thinking the same thing.

The students all got to bed soon after, more than wore out by the sudden arrival of the dementors, and the excitement of seeing not one, but five, patronus animals at once. Slytherin were eagerly congratulating the students to whom they owed the house cup, while the said students just wanted to go back to bed. Severus and Chessie, meanwhile, were also going to bed, their eyes becoming heavy with fatigue.

It was with great regret that the students all had to go home the next day. After spending an hour on the train, Harry, Hermione, Kiru and (surprisingly) Draco all in the same compartment, Ron came up towards Harry. Harry glared, and Ron soon found four wands pointed directly at his face. Ginny was behind him, and also had a wand pointed at her – by none other than Mellicent Bullstrode. It seemed to the foursome that the gap between Slytherin and Gryffindor had finally been bridged over by family ties amongst the houses and multiple houses under one roof.

"I just wanted to tell Harry that I'm sorry," Ron said before turning to leave. "And that they have nothing more to worry about from the Weasley family."

"Damn right you don't," Kiru snapped. "You aren't coming anywhere near him without dad's permission, and even then – you're not gonna get it."

"Right. Sorry," Ron said while leaving. He grinned, knowing he had the upper hand now. He'd poisoned Harry's bottle of pumpkin juice before Harry had left the Gryffindor common rooms.

"Weird one, that bloke," Harry said bringing the water bottle to his lips. Ginny, however, yanked it away, spilling its contents. "Hey! What was that for?"

"I – I can't say," Ginny said softly. "For the same reason I'm not allowed near you anymore. Please, I want no part of it."

She proceeded to run away in a fit of tears, leaving two Gryffindor, three Slytherin, and one teacher standing and sitting confused in her wake. Severus raised an eyebrow before settling in into the same car that his three favorite students and the know-it-all were in. He sighed, pulling out a different canteen, this one with strawberry juice inside of it, and handed it to Harry.

"The one she ruined was poisoned," Severus explained simply while waving his wand to clean the mess up as Harry took the canteen with a nod. "I can smell it. I'll have to teach you how to be able to tell the smells of the different poisons."

Harry and Kiru grinned as Severus apparated back to King's Cross, more than eager to get back home to Privet Drive, but also needing to set up numerous hideouts. He grinned, more than eager to get some work done in this scrawny neighborhood that he'd come to call home the previous summer. He cracked his knuckles, sending Dudley out into the front yard with a jerk of his head. Dudley, who had been told to pack everything the day before, was now perfectly packed.

"Perhaps it would be best if I finished. Pack!" he ordered, and immediately the photos on the mantle and the food in the fridge and freezer were suddenly in three different boxes. The potions ingredients were now in three boxes, all neat and tidy in small boxes alongside. He shrunk the six boxes with the house's components, and began casting wards and hexes upon the house.

Heading across the street, he did the same to Chessie's old home, and wasn't at all surprised to find that she didn't have very many things – it wasn't in her nature to be overly cluttered. Severus smirked as he cast the same spells upon this house that he had to Number Four Privet Drive. The only catch now was to close off his home of Spinner's End for twenty-four hours while he got everyone's rooms ready at his other home.

He grabbed hold of Dudley tightly with his left hand, apparating the teen away and to Spinner's End. He set the boy straight with a glare that would leave seventh years quaking in their boots, and tossed the boxes upon the table and didn't even bother to put them back into their proper size.

"Winky! Dobby!" he snapped, and the two house elves appeared from nowhere with two loud pops.

"How may we be serves Master Snape?" they asked in unison, eager to serve.

"Make sure the food inside some of these boxes doesn't spoil. Don't mess with the Potions ingredients, and don't mess with anything that's not food," Snape ordered. "And while you're at it, make sure that Dudley doesn't leave this room except to go to the bathroom."

"Yes, Master Snape!" the two house elves grinned widely. Severus scowled as he apparated back away to Hogsmeade. He sighed heavily, heading into the Hog's Head, where he knew Lucius would be waiting.

The two Death Eaters were talking away happily, Severus drinking Butterbeer to his heart's content to wash away his stress at teaching. He sighed as he put his mug on the table for the twelfth time, Lucius' eyebrows raised in interest. Severus grinned and laughed, explaining how Kiru had been forced into the Triwizard tournament against her will by Barty Crouch, Jr. He didn't explain, however, that Harry had also been there, and that Kiru had fought Voldemort alongside the Gryffindor boy and Myrtle.

Lucius was extremely interested, and was quite upset when they had to leave to go to King's Cross. They laughed, paid Aberforth, and apparated away. Severus smiled as he saw who else was waiting here at the station. He had half a mind to approach Molly and Arthur, but he instead tapped on Lucius' arm, who turned his head in interest. Severus proceeded to explain how the youngest Weasley male had almost killed a fellow Gryffindor house-mate and had only failed because he himself had shoved a bezoar down the boy's throat. He didn't, of course, mention who this said Gryffindor was by name, and even elaborated at how it might have been a trick to try to kill Kiru since the same boy was carrying a drink poisoned by the same boy sitting in the same compartment as his daughter and Draco.

Lucius scowled at this last piece of information. Draco and Kiru sitting together, he could understand, and more so with a couple friends of Kiru's. However, the fact that a Gryffindor boy had almost been poisoned, and had been sitting in the same car as Kiru and Draco didn't bode well with him at all. He had half a mind to march up to the couple, but he then smirked, having a perfect plan to get Arthur Weasley fired from his job at the Ministry.

"Arthur," Lucius nodded coldly. "Are you aware that your youngest son tried to poison my son's friend?"

"No," Arthur lied coolly. "But rest assured, he will be punished."

"Oh, I don't doubt that," Lucius smirked. "More especially since we wouldn't want it known that he also tried to kill two Professors and their daughter. And my son was in the same car as them, holding the canteen that had the poisoned beverage in it mere moments before his friend almost drank from it."

"You wouldn't dare," Arthur gasped coldly, his eyes glaring into Lucius' cold ones. "You wouldn't! Ron would never do such a stupid and rash thing!"

"I would," Lucius sneered, "And I think I know your son better than you do. Your wife is the one telling him to do the horrible experiences, if I'm correct."

"You – you-you!" Arthur raged, but was cut off by the train pulling into the station. "You bastard!"

Harry left the train, and easily found two familiar faces – Remus Lupin and Severus Snape. He went to Lupin, knowing it was a cover-up for what was really going on and that the werewolf would apparate him home. Kiru, meanwhile, had gone straight to her father, with Hermione coming with her. It was only natural, but a sudden crack next to Severus made him jump slightly.

The two girls stared in confusion as Kingsley Shacklebolt and Professor McGonagall spoke urgently to their Potions Professor. Hermione knew that it was something major, while Kiru knew that if her father was involved, she was officially going to be in for a _very _rough summer. She didn't even _want _to know what her father had been ordered to do by Dumbledore this time since it was very evident by his facial expressions that he very much didn't want to do it.

"A word, Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said gently, pulling the teen aside. Once they were out of earshot, she cast a powerful _Mufflatio _spell around them. "Miss Granger, you will stay with Professor Snape this summer, and until you come of age. I'm sorry to say this but – your parents are dead."

"No," Hermione sobbed. "No, no, please no! Please… not Death Eaters…"

"No," the old woman soothed. "It – it was a car accident. They – they were coming here to pick you up, my dear. I've already told Severus, he knows that you're coming. He's not happy with it, but he's allowing for you to stay with him."

"Th-thank you," Hermione sobbed. "W-will you visit?"

"I may," Professor McGonagall relented. "However, Chessie will be there as well. They are, as I'm sure you're aware, husband and wife."

"How?" Hermione asked, confused as to how her heartless professor had found love.

"That is a question for him, my dear," the animagus said gently. "Come – let's not keep him waiting much longer. You'll be staying with him at Spinner's End, I believe."

Minerva couldn't have been more accurate on Severus' feelings, and by the time they returned to him, he was ready to kill the Weasley clan.

* * *

I have recently found a review on my story! I extend a very hearty thanks to leafstone for reviewing! I look forward to bringing you all as much more as I can! To be honest, I'm already working on the Deathly Hallows! I'll try to download books 5 & 6 as soon as I can!

Thank you so much for reviewing, and I hope that you enjoy my stories! The comments and messages I recieve bring tears of joy to my eyes!


	11. Spinner's End

Chapter Eleven – Spinner's End

Anyone who saw Severus Snape – whether Muggle or not – would easily be able to tell that he looked like he was about to kill something or someone at any given moment. Having been stuck with Potter the previous summer, having discovered that his child was alive the summer before that, stuck with the insufferable know-it-all this summer, and no doubt getting stuck fighting another Death Eater to the death again, he was extremely pissed off. Hermione was joining them in silence, still sobbing quietly so he couldn't hear her (he'd cast a silencing charm on her), and Potter had his arm around her to comfort her. He'd let Potter lay down the ground rules of the house to her – right now, he wanted to get home, get in his potions lab, and brew a complicated poison even St. Mungo's couldn't heal.

Chessie, however, was in a fairly indifferent mood. She happy about getting another girl in the house, but upset that the girl was joining them under such dire circumstances, as well as the fact that Kiru was technically still just a step-daughter. She was also happy that Kiru had accepted her as her mother, as well as the other teens. However, she was still mulling over the miscarriage, and plotting revenge on the rogue prefect who had so ruthlessly tried to kill her by sealing her in that painting in the first place!

Harry and Kiru were at a loss for what to do for their muggle-born friend, having no clue how to best comfort her. Harry had the gender barrier on his mind the whole time, while Kiru had the house barrier on hers. Hermione continued sobbing the whole way home, and Severus was glad that he had the Knight Bus to help him out this year. He herded the students on board, leaving them with Chessie, and apparated away to see what Voldemort wanted.

"I'm sorry, my lord," Severus apologized deeply. "Dumbledore set me babysitting two of the students this summer."

"You have a daughter," Voldemort said coldly. "You never said anything about her before now, Severus. Care to explain yourself?"

"Of course," Severus said quickly. "I wasn't sure if she was mine or not, my lord. I – I admit, I was forced to turn to paternity potions to find out that she was mine, my lord. I didn't realize until September, and I wasn't summoned."

"Cruccio," the serpent-like man said, and Severus felt his body flood with red-hot pain going through his every fiber. It took every ounce of his self-control to keep from yelling out in pain, something he knew was what angered his master and brought him great pride as well. He'd learned long ago how to keep up his Occlumency barriers in front of the sadist while in pain. "Now, who are you babysitting for the old fool?"

"Granger," Severus gasped. "And – and Lovegood, sir."

"Lovegood?" Voldemort questioned. "Hm. Muggle-born, then."

"Muggle born and a pure-blood, sir," Severus said quickly. "The girl's father is in St. Mungo's helping with her mother, if my sources are correct, sir. I'd have refused the Muggle born brat, but the headmaster wouldn't hear it, spouting off school-unity nonsense."

"Does he suspect?"

"No," Severus said getting back into his chair. "Nor does anyone else."

"Very good. Keep an eye on the two brats," Voldemort smirked. "And I do so wish to meet your daughter, Severus."

"Ah, you already have, my lord," Severus said quickly. "I'm afraid that she was only thinking of self-preservation at the time."

"Impossible! Your daughter is the necromancer from the graveyard with Potter?" Voldemort hissed. "So, the brat has talent. She would be a valuable asset, much like you have become, Severus. Bring her to me when she learns who I am, but do not let her know I am alive. I was forced to use the Polyjuice Potion with Wormtail to stay alive this time."

"Wormtail is dead then," Severus whispered. "Good riddance to that filthy traitor."

"Indeed," Voldemort murmured. "You may go, Severus. Remember, your daughter _will _join me."

"Of course, my lord," Severus said before apparating back to Spinner's End, where he promptly collapsed into a messy heap on his bed.

"Professor," Hermione hiccupped. "How did you get married?"

"Hm? Ah, that," Chessie sighed. "My cousin blackmailed me into it. I won't deny that I was already in love with him, but I just hadn't realized it yet. I thought it was just a schoolgirl crush. He had just started teaching when I was in my fifth year, you see. And he was my head of house, so that took a bit of an awkward turn, as I'm sure you'll imagine."

"Oh," Harry said simply as Hermione hiccupped. "Huh. How did he – you know – fall in love with you and whatnot?"

"I don't know," Chessie shrugged. "I'm not sure he even did or not. At first it was just a policy to keep the both of us from getting attacked by Fenrir Greyback – long story, not for public – but with time he began to be a little less…intimidating. I'm still not sure if he loves me or if he's just doing it for safety."

"He loves you," Harry grinned. "He was acting like a madman when you were gone. He kept docking house points like crazy – by the hundreds, sometimes even thousands. I've never seen him like that before, and I always thought him to be a snarky, sarcastic, heartless bastard of a dungeon bat."

"How ironic! I called him that during our first fight!" Chessie laughed. "Oh, that was quite funny."

"So, what now?" Kiru asked, and the Knight Bus stopped in front of Spinner's End. "Well, home sweet home, I guess."

"Joy," Harry muttered as they all left the bus in a single file, Hermione still hiccupping loudly and frequently. "You going to be alright, 'Mione?"

"No," she whimpered just before bursting into sobs onto his chest. Chessie rolled her eyes as the door was yanked open by a wide-eyed Dudley.

"Oh, joy, Dudley's already here," Kiru muttered before barking "Hey, Muddie, where's dad?"

"Dunno," Dudley stammered, taking in Hermione and Harry's figures. "He disappeared a few hours ago, never came back."

"No, he's back," Chessie corrected as she heard a faint pop come from upstairs, indicating that her husband was home. "He probably had a meeting to go to. Moving on, let's get you kids settled. Now, how are we going to do this?"

"Well, I was thinking that you and dad took the basement," Kiru grinned. "Me and Hermione got the Master Bedroom, and the boys got the spare bedroom."

Chessie shook her head. "Why don't we explain how I fell in love with your father while we wait for him to come downstairs? I'm sure he'd appreciate making the arrangements again."

(Flashback, Chessie PoV)

I stared as a car drove up to Number Four Privet Drive, curiosity driving me mad. I'd met one of the other neighbors, who told me to keep an eye out for the skinny boy in Number Four, and recalled that the old lady's name had been Arabella Figg, and that the boy's name was – Harry Potter? Surely not the legendary boy-who-lived, but only time would tell. From what I'd been told, the couple who raised the poor boy was cruel and heartless, and apparently needed a constant reminder of what we witches and wizards could do. Their meatblob son was no different, I was told.

Much to my surprise, a family of wizards and witch appeared: two boys and a girl. The man had oily hair, and a very mysterious aura about him, if not unnerving at the same time. The girl looked eerily like him, his daughter I presumed, but the boy could have passed off for his son if he wanted to and if his hair was shiny and kept well enough. I noticed the boy was, indeed, very skinny, much like the taller male, but unlike the taller male, had glasses and his hair was short. The girl and her father had jet-black hair, his oily, and hers perfectly fine and wavy in the middle a bit. The adult wore all black, while the girl dressed like a Slytherin and the boy a Gryffindor. I suddenly, and to my complete shock and horror, recognized the black-clad wizard as my fifth year Potions teacher, Professor Snape, the greasy bat of the dungeons.

Wait, what the hell was Professor Snape doing in my street, and at the house of Muggles, no less? With a Gryffindor to boot – he _hated _Gryffindor! This was most confusing…

On a whim, I'm not sure why, but I went over anyways. I was honestly curious as to what the hell he was doing here, I guess. I recognized the skinny boy immediately when he came back out to grab his things again, and vaguely saw the lightning-bolt scar he was famous for. Huh, so the boy who lived was in Number Four, but that still didn't explain Professor Snape's reason. The girl grinned as he set her things down for her, hugging him around his waist – yup, definitely his kid. Nobody else would have had the nerve to do such a bodacious and audacity-filled action. But when the hell had he been in a relationship? Professor Snape always screamed "heartless" in my mind, and a sadistic possible Death Eater.

After meeting with him formally, and hearing the reasons as to why they were all there, it suddenly made sense – leave it to Professor Dumbledore to have the most feared Hogwarts Professor (aside from himself) to go do some threatening when it came to Muggles mistreating the boy who lived. Still, that didn't explain the small girl who ended up with the greasy git as her father – I pitied her, I really did. I'd have hated to have a snarky bastard like Snape for a father. That girl has guts, but why then was she a Slytherin? No doubt, her father's brainwashing methods, or the fact that she was a menace to society.

Either way, there was no way this kid was getting out of school with more detentions under her belt than the infamous Marauders had. I still couldn't help but feel terrible for the Muggles Potter lived with, but that all changed when Snape protected the trio of teens with his life on the line. Suddenly, my distaste for the man became respect, and from there, I wasn't sure how or when, but admiration. Alas, my admiration at his chivalry became love, and I went downhill from there.

Within days, he'd gone from snarky bastard to chivalrous protector. I wanted him for my own; he would have made the perfect spouse, if he hadn't been so cruel towards the Muggle boy. I continued on this track till I realized the fat Muggle was a monster, and then outright fell head-over-heels in love with the Potions Master. Oh, I was good at Potions, too, and a Slytherin, so at least I had _some _similarities with the man aside from what school we went to. The thing that scared me the most was that the man had somehow begun invading my dreaming world, more often than not in very inappropriate ways, to which I constantly reminded and reprimanded myself. And, after the fiasco with my cousin, and the wedding with Severus (which two of four children went to), I was happier than ever with my life.

Then I started teaching History of Magic. And, I conclude, we've come full circle.

(Flashback end)

"Wow," Harry said with his eyebrows raised now that they were all at the table drinking tea. "I had no idea."

"Yeah, I'm a hopeless romantic," Chessie smiled weakly. "I still can't help but feel like he's waiting for me to drop him like some used and demolished toy or something like that."

"Are you?" Dudley grinned. "I'd have no problem if you did, I wouldn't blame you at all, really…"

"No, you oversized meat blob!" Chessie screamed, waking Severus up from his post-cursing recovery nap. He swallowed an anti-Cruciatus Curse potion, and went downstairs to the kitchen. He stopped short, listening to the conversation/argument. "I would _never _leave Severus! Not now, not ever! Do you know why? Because I love him! I really and truly love him, with my every fiber, and then some! Nothing anyone says or does can change that! Not even he can!"

"Who can't do what now?" Severus scowled, glaring at them like they'd cursed him and given him a migraine that had become the bane of his existence. "And who did what? Did Dursley blow something up?"

"Severus," Chessie squeaked. "Can we talk alone, please, dearest?"

Severus simply rolled his eyes. "Boys get the spare bedroom, the girls get the floor. Death Eaters like to show up unannounced, and it's easier to tell them that I've got a few ignorant brats camping out in my living room. Chessie and I will keep the master bedroom – I may have to go find my grandparents' inheritance just to house all you little brats…" he ranted as he stormed up the stairs. "And you're forbidden from entering the basement!"

"Severus," Chessie said softly when he locked and warded the door. "Do you love me?"

He raised an eyebrow, so she repeated the question once a little louder.

"Do I love you," Severus speculated at her question. "What?"


	12. Severus PoV

Chapter Twelve – Severus

I stared at her, her words still sinking in. She cared, but – she was uncertain that I cared. Well, no surprise there with how I was acting as of yet. It was still foreign to have others in my house, Kiru included. Potter and Dursley were hard enough to get used to as long as they weren't ignoring each other, but most of the time they were. Kiru and Potter were also easily getting along well, just helping each other with studying, which, again, helped me get used to having them in the house. Chessie was – well, Chessie. I barely knew her when we'd married, and had done it to protect her to keep my secret safe. Fenrir Greyback was the last person I needed on my street, except for the Dark Lord himself.

I thought back to the week after our marriage. Shagging wasn't exactly on my list of things to do that particular summer, but apparently it was a Muggle custom to do so multiple times in the week following a marriage. Either way, I didn't care, and I personally couldn't have cared less whether or not she divorced me. She apparently was a complete idiot, because she'd gotten herself almost killed numerous times, and the Dark Lord had – miraculously – let her live as a reward for my "good behavior" of late. He despised it, but permitted it to keep my child out of the way, as well as the other children Dumbledore had assigned for me to babysit.

Something just wasn't right – Chessie could sense my emotions, I knew that, but why was she asking me if I loved her? Ah, she must have wanted to hear the magic words. Thus, meaning that lying wouldn't help me in this particular situation, or at all for that matter. Damn, that woman was better at reading emotions than the Dark Lord himself, another reason that he may have let her live thus far. The next two weeks after our "honeymoon", as Chessie called it, was spent trying to hash things out and set boundaries.

(Flashback)

"Severus, I don't think we should be this cruel to the boy," she argued as she walked into the bedroom with nothing on but towels. Good heavens, was that woman trying to get herself shagged every night?

"I don't care," I groaned out from the bed from behind the potions book I was reading. "If Potter wants to see him suffer, let him. I'm not objecting, as long as the boys survive without getting in trouble with the law."

"You can't just ignore them! They're your children, Severus!" she yelled back.

"Not biologically they're not my sons," I yelled back. "And what I do with them is none of your business since I only took them in on orders, damn it! if you've got a problem with that, take it up with the headmaster!"

"You think I care what Dumbledore thinks? Think back, Severus, treat them how you would have wanted to be treated as a child or teen," she yelled out.

"I wanted nothing more than to be alone my entire life, damn it," I roared at her. "Not then, not now, not ever! My father hated what I was, and my mother was too much of a coward to do a damn thing about him! Hogwarts was my home, and it was made a personal hell by your precious _Marauders_!"

"You – you think I idolize the Marauders? No, hell no, I idolized the Half-Blood Prince!" she screamed at me. My blood froze, my previous potions title having suddenly been cropped up after years of disuse.

"You – idolized – who?" I whispered quietly.

"The half blood Prince," she answered strongly. "and if you've got a problem with that, you can take that up with whoever left their potions book in that cupboard. If you'll recall, I borrowed it just before school got out."

"That book," I growled dangerously. "Was mine. I'm fairly sure I let _nobody _borrow it _at all_."

"Oh, so you're the Half-Blood Prince?" she retorted angrily. I couldn't let her know that it was me.

"That book was left there by the Half-Blood Prince, not an ignorant new teacher," I retorted. "Why would I leave my own personal potions book out for some dunderhead to use or destroy?"

"Well, if I ever get my hands on the Half-Blood Prince, I'm going to give him a piece of my mind," she stated with finality. "Some of those spells in that book were _way _out of line. Albeit, very useful, but still out of line and heartless. I just wished I could have used a few on the Marauders for what they did to some of the other students."

"Remind me to lecture him for hours on why he shouldn't leave my potions books lying around for students to steal," I grumbled as I flipped over onto my side. Ugh, this woman was crazy. Not only was she madly in love with me as a Death Eater, but also as her teacher, and now as the Half-Blood Prince!

Damn, I needed out away from her.

Yet, at the same time, I couldn't help but feel torn. My chest felt like it was going to explode – a first time for me. She was idolizing me and my abilities, as well as sticking up for me from my student years, which was another first for me. The only other person enough to stand up me against the marauders was dead now thanks to me, and hated me up until her death. This woman was hyper to no end, which drove me mad, but for some odd reason I enjoyed it. It made me feel – alive, almost. She was extremely smart, but often let her hyperactivity cloud her judgment. Ingenious, but idiotic. She was a contradiction in and of herself. Then again, so was I. I was both a Death Eater and a member of the Order of the Phoenix. I hated children, but was now forced to raise three, and possibly more if Dumbledore saw fit.

What the bloody hell was this world coming to?

It had all started with the minute she had pronounced that James Potter was a selfish git, I realized, and had been escalating. I'd been shocked that someone agreed with me, but had never before been revered for my actions at getting back at them. Not only was this woman looking up to me, but she revered my Potion making abilities – something most witches scoffed at for the fact that I despised 'useless wand waving' in my classroom, but she again agreed with him that day. Then she'd been willing to keep an eye on my charges the next week while I was in the hospital, and even had the courage to round up some familiar faces to try to make them comfortable once they got home. She'd even taken to helping heal me once I was back at home. She seemed to try to do what was best, and had also helped Kiru to understand the hormonal issues that arose from being of the female species.

She knew things I didn't, and I knew things she didn't. She was the opposite of me in behavior, but was humorous enough to understand that sarcasm and snarky-ness were my senses of humor, alongside cruelty. She enjoyed playing pranks, and even enjoyed cooking and cleaning (the madwoman). She seemed to have every skill I had a major lack of to do with family life. She was also one heck of a lover, and had yet to betray me. Hm…

Could it possibly be? _Did _I love her?

(Flashback end)

"Severus?" she asked, and I ignored her to begin pacing. Could it possibly be that _I_, Severus T. Snape, was _in love _with a _Muggle Born_? Again?

I furrowed my brow, thinking of a different time when I'd considered the very question.

(Flashback begin again)

I walked into Chessie's house for the second time, the first one with her parents not there, and wasn't at all surprised to find her in the kitchen. Strangely, though, she was crying. She held a letter in her hands, one that looked all too familiar to me – someone she knew or loved was dead. I knocked, walking in to see if she needed anything. She'd fire-called me, so I knew it was something bad, but not this bad.

"Oh, Severus, I'm so scared," she sobbed as she tackled and hugged me, soaking my black long-sleeve Muggle shirt with her tears. "My cousin – my cousin's threatening me, telling me that if I don't get married before the end of the month, he'll sic Fenrir Greyback onto me! I'm so scared, Severus! I don't want to have to move away from here because of some stupid serial killer!"

"Chessie," I said calmly, knowing that if she'd called him a serial killer, she was oblivious to the obvious about him. "Fenrir Greyback is a werewolf. He's been attacking children since before you were born, and even bit one of the Gryffindor boys in my year, of course that was when said Gryffindor was small and couldn't fight back, years before we even stepped foot at Hogwarts."

"W-Werewolf?" she sobbed, then breaking into more hysterics. I began feeling the slightest sensation in the last place I wanted it, then got an idea.

"Chessie," I thought aloud. "What if we don't have to get you married to a Muggle?"

"But he said it had to be to a dark wizard," she sobbed, her hands pushing onto my chest. I sighed in frustration at the fact that one of my students was acting like a five-year-old when she was a grown woman.

"Chessie, let me finish. You don't have to put up with that. If you don't dislike me, then we can get married to appease your cousin. I wear black all the time, and I'm sure your cousin will listen to you if you tell him I'm from the Slytherin house and went into hiding when the Dark Lord came out of power eleven – no, twelve – years ago. Chessie, I promise you that you'll be safe with me," I swore, pushing her away by the shoulders to look her in the eyes.

"I- would you, Severus?" she sobbed, hope glimmering in her eyes.

"Yes, I swear on my life," I promised, letting her return to sobbing onto my robes.

Naturally, her parents had freaked out over her revelation to her cousin's threats, but they'd calmed down and panicked at the same time when she told them of our solution. She'd assured them that not all Slytherin's were bad, and that it was just a stereotype that had arisen since the Dark Lord came into power as a descendant of Slytherin. I knew they didn't approve of the idea, but it was the only way to keep her safe. She'd gone to her cousin and made the unbreakable vow that she'd be married before thirty days was up, and had him swear likewise that he wouldn't let Fenrir Greyback, or any other person that he knew was a werewolf, know where she lived. Naturally, her parents skipped the wedding, not that I wanted them to get in the way.

"Severus," she'd sobbed as we were about to begin. "Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we barely even know each other, and this is all happening so fast, and-!"

"Chessie," I'd scolded, and she piped down. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't mean it."

I had to admit, her cousin had had the perfect timing, and Fenrir Greyback denied any participation when I'd approached him about it the next day. I'd immediately gone to Chessie's only wizard cousin and hexed him into oblivion, leaving him half-dead for those in St. Mungo's to sort out.

(Flashback end)

I shivered in mirth. The joy that hexing Chessie's cousin had brought was one of the extremely few times I thoroughly enjoyed cursing or hexing someone into oblivion. Potter Senior would have been number one on my list, but had apologized. I still despised him, though, for being a bastard and a teacher's favorite. Potter Junior was nothing but trouble as well, albeit just like any normal teenager, with a large amount of big-headed-ness added on from his already inflated ego.

I sighed out my nose, still trying to figure this out. What was the question? Oh yes, whether or not I loved her. Hm, I'd wager a yes, but I still wasn't sure. I'd never really been in love before. Well, there _was _the fact that Amortentia gave off someone's favorite smells, and mine somehow smelled like potions' books, blood (hell knows why), and – for some unfathomable reason – Chessie. If she'd asked for veritaserum, I'd give it to her. Sex? Eh, maybe not, depending on my mood. This woman was insufferable, and a pit of loneliness, if I was wagering correctly.

"Answer me this," I said as I pulled out silver memories and bottling them up before pulling out a penseive from my closet. "Who did you admire from your fifth year, and why?"

"I – a number of people. I admired the spy for the Order of the Phoenix," she answered, "For the courage to balance on a tightrope the size of a knife's edge. I admired you, because of your teaching, Potions, and – mystery – abilities. And I admired the Half-Blood Prince for his potions, spells, and curses abilities. Why?"

"Hm. What would you do if the Half-Blood Prince and the spy for the Order was the same person?" I asked. "What if you were gravely misunderstood about me?"

"I don't care, Severus! I love you!" she stomped vehemently. "Nothing can change that! Yes, I admire those two others, but never love them!"

"Not even if they were me?" I whispered coldly, and heard her audibly gasp as she tried to wrap her brain around the information. "I am the spy for the Order. _I _am the Half-Blood Prince. What did I get for all my hard work in the war? Nothing. Nothing but a bunch of over-privileged brats sleeping in my house. Kiru excluded from that statement, of course."

"Severus, I… I had no idea," she whispered. "I – how – you – I'm so sorry, I didn't mean – oh, what have I done?"

"Nothing," I snapped. "You weren't old enough for the war last time, but this time – I want you to have no part of this upcoming war except to guard my children and keep them safe. Do you understand?"

"Yes, but what about you?" she fretted.

"I can handle myself, and go through with my roles just as I did – Agh – last time," I retorted, stopping to hiss as my Dark Mark burned. "Shit! He's calling – again! Damn it all. Damn him to hell! I promised him I'd bring Kiru next time – but I can't – not yet – she's not ready!"

"Tell him that she has homework," she retorted as I threw on my black Death Eater robes. "Or, better yet, had an accident with her abilities and is so worn out from magic that she can't get up."

"No," I hissed. "Tell him that – ah, damn it. Forget it. Screw his meeting – I'll tell him I was with Dumbledore again and he wouldn't let me go this time. No harm, no foul. I'll just get the Cruciatus curse used on me a few more times…"

"Severus, no!" she argued, but I stopped her harshly. "No, you can't do this!"

"I have to. Chessie, I can't risk you becoming a Death Eater. Unless… unless you can keep an eye on the children of the Death Eaters!" I realized. "Tell him that you can't speak English – make sure only to speak Japanese in front of him – and that I'm in charge of showing you the ropes of England!"

"I," she started, but I never heard her finish the sentence. The Dark Mark burned hotter than ever, worse than the worst Cruciatus curse, and my world caved in as my legs gave out from under me.

"Yes," I whispered just before completely losing my grip. "I do."


	13. Prince Manor

Chapter Thirteen – Prince Manor

"Is he – will he?" I heard a few voices worrying over me, something new to me. I realized now that it was more than just Chessie and the two boys. Kiru and Granger were now at Spinner's End, and I had to get them all to Prince Manor.

"He'll be alright," I heard a familiar voice – Dumbledore's – reply gently. "I daresay that I didn't think that Tom would be so cruel as to perform a Cruciatus curse on him in such a cruel manner…"

"But – he – he won't – will?" Chessie stammered, her voice cracking nervously.

"No, he'll be fine if given time to rest," the headmaster replied. "He can most likely hear us now. I think it best that everyone be moved to a different location – one that Tom Riddle cannot get to."

"Tom Riddle?" Hermione asked.

"Voldemort's real name," Harry explained, as if it said everything.

"No," I moaned. "Don't – say it – Potter."

"Severus!" Chessie gasped, while the teens gasped "Professor!"

"Headmaster," I hissed as I got up, opening my eyes to my surroundings. I was on the couch, joy of joys, and the others were now breathing sighs of relief. Well, at least _someone _would attend my funeral if I died in the war. "Prince Manor – no – my mother was abandoned, remember?"

"I think you'll find that her parents will be more willing, now that they know the truth," he said mysteriously. "Besides that, they are dead, and named a certain – Prince – to be their heir."

"Me," I guessed. "Why in bloody hell did they name _me _their heir?"

"You are their grandson," Albus said simply. "And are a powerful wizard, and your daughter is a musiclancer. They were slightly more willing once they learned this fact."

"They're dead," Kiru realized. "Dad's owned the manor for how long, now?"

"Since Halloween night," Dumbledore replied simply. "He may go there as soon as he pleases. I recommend going as quickly as possible, Severus. Good day to you all."

We watched as the headmaster apparated right out of our living room, and I felt my head get light. Without even needing to be ordered, the youth all raced around to get their things tucked away in trunks and inside whatever means they'd need to get going. I still had a car, but it would be useless to where we were going. Hissing and gasping in pain, I lifted my wand to send the food and keepsakes flying back into the boxes from before. Dobby and Winky appeared in front of me with a loud and resounding crack, suddenly realizing what was going on.

"Go to the Snape Manor – make sure – nothing's – cursed," I gasped, and they nodded before apparating away. "Chessie, take the boys. Give them the slip of paper, tell them to memorize and then burn it."

"Yes, love," she murmured as she took the parchment from me. _The headquarters for the Snape family is the Prince Manor_, it read. Much more help wouldn't be needed from there, as long as the two girls were ready and willing to go with me instead of otherwise.

With a flick of Chessie's wand, the boys' boxes were shrunk to pocket size, and they hastily shoved the boxes into their pockets before latching onto her arm to side-along apparate. The two girls hastily made everything of their own ready, having not unpacked from the day before except to get pajamas and other whatnot female necessities they needed. I remained calm and stoic on the couch, not ready to apparate just yet, and the girls remained in the upstairs bedroom to wait for further instructions.

At about noon, I was getting hungry, and so I called them down. They raced down, their things in their trunks shrunken down to minimal size allowable, and stuffed in their pockets. The only things that weren't shrunken were the animals, the two owls and the cat that were their familiars. I flicked my wrist, letting my own owl out, and the two girls let their owls out respectively. I pointed at Potter's owl, and its cage opened to let her out.

"They can fly together. Hermes knows the way," I said simply. "Granger, the cat will have to come separately. Winky, bring the cat later."

"Yes master," she said simply as she reappeared with a resounding pop. Hermione hesitantly put her precious cat's cage in the house elf's arms, only to scream when it vanished alongside the house elf.

I held my arm aloft, and Hermione stared at it while Kiru took it firmly just above my elbow. I glared, and Kiru nudged her forward before the Gryffindor took my arm, just barely avoiding my Dark Mark, thank goodness. I flicked my wand at the window, letting the three owls out, and flicked it once more to close it once all three were out. With a twist, I apparated to the entrance gate of the Prince Manor, the childhood home of my mother.

I could tell that Granger was trying her hardest to not get sick on my shoes, and Kiru was also nauseous a bit this time. I, too, was exhausted, but from the effects of the cruciatus curse. I led them forward, through the gates, and towards the mansion that they would now call home during the summers. It was smaller by far than the Malfoy Mansion, and the Floo network wasn't accessible because of ancient magic upon the house. The ghosts of my ancestors sometimes watched over us, depending on their moods with the current generation, and quite a few of the youth from the renaissance period were here at this time, having heard that they'd have new playmates. One small child in particular was familiar to me – my mother's insane cousin who died of accidental magic at age five.

"Bug off," I told him, and he scowled at me.

"Momma! The half-blood spawn of cousin Eileen is back!" he yelled as he flew through the walls. Most of the other ghosts that were adults cleared off from this comment, but a few remained to watch.

"I wonder how they'll react when I tell them that two of you are muggle born, one of you is one-fourth muggle, one of you has a muggle born for a mother, and the final one is a muggle," I mused mostly to myself. Kiru shuddered, while Hermione looked around curiously.

"Father," Kiru said hesitantly. "What will happen now? Will Death Eaters show up? Do they know Prince Manor is here?"

"No, child," I said calmly. "Death Eaters do know of this place, but an ancient magic protects us from harm here. So many of our ancestors have died protecting this manor, and it is impossible to breach its defenses, making it impossible to come into the manor without permission from the head of the family, or for a family reunion."

"What about those who aren't of Prince lineage, sir?" Granger asked, and I wanted to slap her upside the head.

"You have my permission and are my charges. I'm certain the magic will protect you, Dursley, Potter, and Chessie as well, Granger," I said as calmly as I could. "Now shut up, and think of what the letter said." I paused, realizing she hadn't seen the letter. "Fine, remember this: Prince Manor is the headquarters for the Snape family."

She gasped as the mansion suddenly came into view, and the two gaped as we went onwards, past groves of trees. I glared at them, and they raced inside, only to stand around gawking even more at the vast area in the manor. Well, it _was _a manor, I reminded myself, and these idiots probably haven't seen one until now. Idiot Granger, even if she was a know-it-all.

"Granger, your room is the third door on your right," I said leading them into a hallway. "Kiru, yours is the second door likewise. Potter's is the second door on the left, and Dursley's is the third. The master bedroom is the fourth on the right, and the nursery is the fourth on the left. Kiru, brief Miss Granger of the rules in my household."

"Yes, father," she said obediently dipping her head as I went onward to toss everything of mine into my room before enlarging it back to normal size. I flicked my wrist, and things began scattering about, going onto different shelves.

After about thirty minutes of organizing and reorganizing things on my side of the bedroom, leaving only the most important potions books in my room, I carried a box of books off to the library. Within minutes, I deduced that these books would belong in the restricted section of the library. Yes, we had one here, too, and would need my permission to pick these books up. I headed off into the enclosed shelves, thumbing through books that wouldn't need to be screened as much. _Most Potente Potions _could be taken off the shelf since the students knew how to brew it, and placed back into the Potions section of the library. A few other books could also be removed from the restricted section and put into their respective sections. I saw a few Lockhart books, and was extremely tempted to burn them on the spot.

The door opened, and Chessie waltzed in with her own books from her home. I smirked, looking at them all. Most of them were already on the shelf – I meticulously plotted which books I had and when it was taken out of the room. I also underlined the title of the book if it needed to be replaced, and crossed it out if the book was damaged beyond repair. It wasn't hard to deduce which ones were and weren't needed as a result, and those that we had doubles of were simply placed in back stock, which was placed in a box and shrunken, and then plotted by a dot beside the title of the book. One dot for every extra copy, and some books had numerous copies to the point that there was no more room to plot them beside the title.

At that point, all four children opened the door and gaped in shock at the startling amount of books in the room. Granger gaped, murmuring something about dying and having gone to heaven, while Potter stared in shock with his mouth wide open. Kiru nodded and smirked evilly eyeing the large pile of Lockhart books, and Dudley gaped at all the wizard books. I pointed simply at a map of the Library, silently outlining the main sections that it was divided into: Potions, Defense, Charms, Transfiguration, Languages (which included runes), History and Creatures, Muggle Studies (which included the Muggle section of the Library), and any other subjects to be found in the Muggle Schools. I also pointed out where the Restricted Section was, emphasizing that they needed _my _permission to get a book from there, and that it was divided into the same sub-sections as the library itself.

Hermione's eyes widened at the mention of what sections were there for her classes, and almost popped out of her head when I showed her the book that held the titles of each book in each section, as well as the number of copies available. Each library section was its own chapter, divided by title of the section, and the titles of the books were arranged in alphabetical order for simplicity to return them. I smirked at the new rules that I set up in the library (including the one where you put the books exactly where you'd gotten it from, and to report any damage (accidental or otherwise) done to a book while it was in your possession.

In each individual bedroom, there was a smaller bookcase with just enough room to fit all of their school textbooks during all seven years of School alongside a few others from their own personal readings as well. Dudley's room was complete with a small workout set, while Potter's only required a stand for his broom and one for his owl's cage. Hermione's room went well simply because all she needed was a bed and litterbox for her cat, which was uglier than anything else I'd ever seen before (except James Potter and Voldemort). Kiru's was easier, seeing how she only needed a place to put her snake tank, which went on her dresser. My own room was easy as well, until Chessie's unorganized manner was put into the equation. I swore mentally cursing the day that she brought up the whole "arranged marriage" issue, and her cousin and Fenrir Greyback denied every scrap of it, and the Dark Lord punished them greatly for their fun in tormenting me. If it weren't for the fact that I'd convinced the Dark Lord that her father was a Japanese wizard, I'd have been killed by now. Sheesh, that man was a lunatic.

But, alas, things didn't always turn out well. I knew that it would be better to go to the Dark Lord sooner rather than later to report my findings on the youth, and report that my wife had had a miscarriage because of a certain idiotic Lestrange or Malfoy male sealing her in a painting, and that we were again trying to procreate. I sighed, pulling out the Floo Powder, knowing that it would only work if I were going to Spinner's End or Privet Drive. Our fireplaces worked like that – it only went to somewhere a Snape/Prince family member was staying at or using as refuge. I went to Spinner's End, of course, and was pleasantly shocked to find Lucius Malfoy looking around at my former home.

"Lucius," I nodded.

"Ah, Severus," he greeted indifferently. "I must say, you've taken down a very high number of decorations. What's the occasion?"

"My new wife wanted a larger space to raise a family," I shrugged, and he turned his head to me while Narcissa and Greyback entered. "And no, I wasn't joking when I said that her cousin – Ohaku – lied and told us that she would die if she didn't marry a dark wizard. I assumed he meant Death Eater, and as did she."

"Did he?" Greyback growled, licking his lips. "Because I promise you, no Ohaku person – or whatever his name is – showed up to get me to threaten his cousin."

"He may not have approached you yet," I snarled harshly, "But that doesn't mean that he wouldn't. it simply means that I got to you before he did. What's done is done, and the woman is already my wife and trying to bear my children. Things would be going much smoother, however," I pointedly glared between the three of them, "If she weren't being sealed inside of painting or threatened in any way. I often think that some of you don't want her to conceive, I daresay."

"A pity," Narcissa murmured. "Our many condolences to the two of you, Severus. It took Lucius and me a while to conceive Draco, and we were so scared of losing him."

"A shame," Lucius agreed. "Greyback, why don't you go make yourself useful and go attack the Squib on Privet Drive?"

"Actually, Lucius," I smirked. "I was thinking of attacking a Muggle couple today. A Vernon and Petunia Dursley from the news… I'm sure we can get their jail cell numbers without a problem."

"Oh," Lucius piqued raising an eyebrow. "That will work quite nicely. It _is _a full moon tonight after all. Very well – Fenrir, you heard Severus, go on and attack this Dursley couple for us."

"Why'm I takin' orders frem yer?" he growled, and I pointed my wand at him, knowing full well that he was terrified of my wrath. "Alright, I'm going. I'm going. Damn."

"Well, now that he's gone," Narciss sighed after he slammed my front door behind him. "Now what do we do? Lucius and I – we worry for Draco. And that Umbridge woman – I want nothing to do with her in Hogwarts and our son's schooling."

"I've got a plan," I told her. "And my wife is already at Hogwarts. Now, I know the job's cursed, but I told her to take Defense Against the Dark Arts. With any luck, she'll be pregnant before the term is over. I don't want to wait that long, but given enough time, I'm sure we'll get this family started properly."

"Good for you," Narcissa beamed. "You've always needed to become a father, Severus. Our many congratulations to you both."

"Hey, she's not pregnant again yet," I scolded. "Besides, Chessie's the one carrying the baby, not me."

"Thank heavens we're men," Lucius agreed quietly, and Narcissa glared at him. "Not that I'm saying being a woman is a bad thing."

"Sure it's not," I agreed. "Unless you're having a child. No offense, Narcissa."

"None taken," she scowled. "Well, Severus, we're actually here to see your reason for being gone at last night's meeting. The Dark Lord was greatly looking forward to meeting your daughter again."

"Dumbledore wouldn't let me go," I shrugged. "He was quite shocked when I collapsed onto his office floor because of the Dark Mark. He didn't think that the Dark Lord could do such a thing as the Cruciatus curse through the mark."

"Ah," Lucius frowned. "Still playing Dumbledore's lapdog, I see."

"I've not been told to do so otherwise," I taunted. "Besides, it's a one way ticket out of Azkaban, and a way to get information from his organization to the Dark Lord. I can even keep tabs on the Potter boy during the school year, as well as Draco and any other potential Death Eaters."

"Point proven," Lucius snapped. "Now, where is this – legendary daughter of yours that I've seen summoning corpses and controlling potions with mere words?"

"Ah. Kiru is actually visiting a friend's house for extra help in Ancient Runes," I said simply. "She wants to get a head start for her third year."

"But, when is that?" Narcissa asked furrowing her brows.

"This fall," I said, and they swallowed nervously. "Calm down, she won't do anything stupid this year, I don't think. Not now that I've got Draco enlisted to help keep her in line when I can't. He'll be a prefect, if I'm correct and if the headmaster listened to my… suggestion. Besides that, my wife will be there to help as well should the need arise."

"Good luck," Lucius and Narcissa said with raised eyebrows. "You'll have your hands full this year."

"I know," I frowned. "Hm, another emergency staff meeting. Joy." I turned towards the fireplace, grabbing some Floo Powder. "Well, good day, Lucius, Narcissa. Tell Draco hello."

"Severus," Narcissa began, but I cut her off.

"Dumbledore's office, Hogwarts," I said loudly over the green flames, and was whooshed over to the school. I quickly explained the day's events, and how well Granger was settling in, when I noticed a third, terrified presence in the room. A terrified Ronald Weasley.


	14. Reversals and Refusals

Chapter Fourteen – Reverses and Refusals

"Headmaster, are you out of your mind?" Severus roared, not believing what he was saying. The Weasley family, under the Imperius Curse? Well, _someone _had done it, and it wasn't any Death Eater that he'd known who was still alive. They'd be bragging about it if they were, he was sure.

"No, Severus," he said calmly. "Mr. Weasley here has been answering questions by means of Veritaserum. From what he has told me, and from the symptoms Molly is showing, she has been under the Imperius curse since before the Quidditch World Cup."

"Fine. Let them say that all you want – I don't want them anywhere near my daughter," Snape snapped, turning on Weasley. "And if you so much as try to put one drop of poison in _anyone's _cup this year, I will personally track it back down to you, brat."

"Speaking of which, Severus," Dumbledore said calmly. "Ginny is in need of a new home since Arthur and Molly are terrified of losing her. They need a third wand to release them from the Unbreakable Vow now that the deal is null and void. Could you do the honors?"

Snape growled lowly in his throat. He wasn't busy, per se, but he had better things to be doing. He now had four insane teens under my rooftop, a wife, and he had to balance this insane family life with the life of a spy for Dumbledore and Voldemort. Ugh, this was hell, he groaned. Weasley was his least favorite student by far, and there was no way in hell that Snape was going to let all three members of the Golden Trio under his roof. Potter and Granger he could put up with since they cancelled each other out in the trouble department, and both kept each other, as well as Kiru and Dudley, busy. Put a fifth child into the mix? No thank you, he'd rather die by the Cruciatus Curse, thank you very much.

"Professor?" a female voice squeaked from the doorway to reveal a terrified Ginny Weasley. "Is – is it safe, sir?"

"Fine," Snape snarled. "Miss Weasley, come here." She scampered over, and he muttered a few Latin incantations. Gradually, the fires left her arm, and receded into his wand, and disappeared into thin air with no trace of the vow behind as a reminder. "Who poisoned Potter's drink and why?"

"Ron did," she said simply, hesitating before adding, "Mum told him to." She flinched, half expecting to die, but relaxed when nothing happened.

"There," Dumbledore said gently. "No harm done."

"No harm? No harm?" Severus roared. "This lot nearly killed Potter last year, Headmaster! I spent more than half my school year making sure poisons didn't get into Kiru's, Potter's or my drinks! You call that 'no harm done', Albus?"

He stared at the Potions Master, who stormed out of the office, literally shoving Molly out of his way in a rage. The twins were gaping as he rounded the corner, not willing to believe what was happening. Snape was still in a rage over Dumbledore forgiving this "ragtag batch of hooligan liars". He'd seen dozens of Death eaters escape Azkaban by saying they were under the Imperius Curse. Unfortunately, Molly had testified that she was under the Imperius Curse while under the influence of Veritaserum. Well, so much for allies in the war. Oh, they were screwed, so royally screwed the next time they needed help.

Severus swore black and red for hours until he finally calmed down enough to apparate home. He was still pissed off at Molly and Arthur, and wasn't at all happy about what was going on. Hissing angrily, he sauntered down to the basement where he could complete the next potion for Poppy's medical stores in the Hospital Wing, his black cloak billowing behind him. Strangely, he felt – calm, almost when he was brewing. It released something inside him that helped him feel more – at ease – with his past.

He sighed, setting down wearily, rubbing his face in frustration and drowsiness. As much as he was used to the effects of the Cruciatus curse, it didn't mean he was immune to the after-effects. The potions he was brewing were extremely simple, but just complex enough to need something that none of the teens had yet. Kiru and the others didn't dare come down here – not when he was still so upset. Chessie could always tell his mood somehow, even across the mansion's vastness, and warned the others when he was in a foul one, like today.

"Professor?" Hermione called out shakily, not sure if she could come down. She warily tiptoed downstairs, taking extra care not to disturb anything. "Professor Snape?"

"What, Granger?" Severus snapped, his dark eyes latching onto hers. "This had better be good."

"Sir – I – I was wondering how you and Chessie got married," she admitted. "Not that I have anything against you, but…you just didn't seem like the marrying type to me before, sir. You seemed too…withdrawn, almost."

"In a way, it was forced," Severus admitted darkly. "Her cousin was threatening her with a werewolf attack, and I knew that the werewolf in question would attack her at any given time of the month, day or night. That, and said cousin is a known Death Eater."

"So, he said she had to marry a dark wizard, and she chose you?" Hermione verified, and Severus nodded. "She – willingly chose you? Why?"

"Ask her," Severus snapped. "I don't know. All I know is that for some unfathomable reason, she won't let me divorce her when this whole mess is over with and _he_'s gone."

"You mean – you-know-who?" Hermione asked, and the Potions master was extremely close to hitting or killing her. "I'm sorry, sir. It's just – what do you think about all of this? What do you want her to do after the war is over?"

"Yes," Severus answered coldly. "And my thoughts and feelings are none of your business, Granger."

"Sir, with all due respect," she pled, "I would feel at least a little more comfortable living under your roof if I could at least begin to understand you, since you are my new guardian and all…"

"Get out. NOW!" Severus roared, and she skirted out, taking just as much care not to hit potions as she did on her way in. "And go to your room! I expect you to have all five rules of this house memorized before I get back upstairs for dinner!"

"Blimey," Harry and Dudley murmured as Hermione ran past them crying. "What happened?"

"I – I tried to talk to Snape," Hermione sobbed as they went into her room. "I tried to see his feelings and his point of view on things. You know, to be nice, and he – he yelled at me!"

"Damn," Dudley murmured. "Well, at least he doesn't have you doing yard work like he does me. Besides that, I – you don't know the rules, do you?"

"Oh yeah," Harry realized. "We forgot to tell her Professor Snape's five rules of the house. Sorry about that, Hermione, we should have told you sooner."

"A bit bloody late," she sobbed onto her pillow as a large white bird ascended into the house.

"No," Severus protested loudly when the four teens crept downstairs a few hours later, and the fireplace had been opened to the floo network for only temporarily as Dumbledore was wanting an emergency meeting with the whole Snape family. "No, Albus! I will not take them in, damn it! I've already got four kids under my roof, one a muggle born and one muggle, one pureblood and one half-blood, and you're telling me to put myself in more danger by taking in a lunatic and a blood traitor! No! I won't have any part of it!"

"Severus," Dumbledore said quietly as he stepped out onto the tiles.

"No! I'm not having any of it!" Severus yelled angrily pacing in front of the headmaster to make sure the old wizard didn't gain further entry. "No, no, emphatically no!"

"Professor," Luna said quietly from behind the headmaster, "I won't tell anyone, but the Nargles are extremely flustered around you, and even more so when you're angry."

"Pipe down, Lovegood," Snape spat. "Give me one good reason to take them in, Albus, and it had better have something to do with Azkaban."

Damn this all to hell, Snape snarled mentally. This was outrageous, and much more so now that he already had four teens to look after. Voldemort wanted him to get Chessie pregnant, and there were eight rooms for sleeping in aside from the master bedroom. Each teen had their own, but if they took in any more students, that would change in a heartbeat. One bedroom was already converted into a nursery for newborns and toddlers, and only three were available. Even if he'd forced two girl couples into sharing two bedrooms, he still would be crowded for space. A jar broke off to the left from Severus' wrath, and he forced himself to try to calm down and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Severus," Dumbledore said calmly, "They have nowhere else to go. Prince Manor has many places they may stay, I'm sure, and there are too few people I would trust with a task such as this as much as I do you, Severus."

"Damn it, Albus," Severus swore angrily. "I said no and I meant no! I've already got four teens under my roof, and Chessie's already converted one of the bedrooms into a nursery, and another into a playroom for small children! I wouldn't have enough room unless I forced everyone to start sleeping two or three to a room!"

"Why not use an engorgement charm, Professor?" Luna asked distantly. He glared at her, growling deeply in his throat to show his distaste of the very thought of the idea she'd made. "And why not ask the others to see what they think?"

"I for one wouldn't mind," Kiru grinned coming downstairs. "You're yelling is really loud, by the way, daddy. Apparently Hermione's in trouble, so she sobbed out for me to give the thumbs up. Dudley and Harry – I have no freaking clue."

"Dudley doesn't care," Harry reported as he walked in at that moment. "And neither do I. Hey, Luna."

"Hi, Harry, Kiru," she returned in unison. "What's it like here?"

"Heaven," Harry grinned while Hermione yelled down, "Hell" at the top of her lungs. Snape rolled his eyes while Kiru smirked and bit her lip to keep from laughing. Harry and Chessie were laughing quietly, but immediately cleared out of the room to give the Potions Master some room to calm down before he blew his top.

In the end, they didn't stay at the Prince Manor, and no other person would take the two girls in on such a short notice. Chessie was tempted to, but she knew that the finances were already strained as it was from raising the four they had. They were getting a monthly allowance for Hermione for now, and Harry and Dudley were getting a monthly allowance as well. Kiru didn't get one, but simply inherited everything from her late biological mother. Harry also had everything from Gringotts he needed, while Dudley was getting his cash flow from his parents' retirement funds.

Chessie snickered at the thought of the two adult Dursley's rage when they found out what had happened to their son and their retirement funds. Chessie went to her husband, putting a hand on his shoulder gently to help calm him down. She looked him in the eyes, knowing he'd read her mind to know what she was saying, and he fumed silently for a few minutes. Dumbledore was still waiting calmly and silently.

"The answer is no, Headmaster," Chessie said finally. "Severus and I have too many things going on right now, and the finances are already strained enough by raising four teens. So, no, we're not taking them in, orphaned or not."

"And if Molly were to pay you?" Dumbledore inquired, and the couple shook their heads. "Perhaps, if I were to give one of you a promotion?"

"What kind of other promotion could you possibly give us? Severus is already the head of Slytherin House, and there's no other position that's available," Chessie argued, almost to the point of yelling or cursing out her employer. "And no, Lovegood, Defense Against the Dark Arts is already been filled for next year. Unless you were to somehow arrange for me to be in charge of Quidditch or something, I highly doubt you'd be able to give me a promotion."

"I want nothing to do with being deputy headmaster," Severus added quickly and sourly. "That's Minerva's job."

"Perhaps more information as to why Kiru is a Parselmouth?" Dumbledore said calmly. "More information about Voldemort? Surely you can't deny the young ones rights to what they need and deserve to know."

"Touché, old sod," Kiru snarled. "I'm fairly sure I know why I'm a Parselmouth. From what I understand, my mother was one, and she was a direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin himself by means of an illegitimate great-grandchild that his granddaughter mothered with a half-blood descendant of Gryffindor. _That's _why we have the Ocarina, and _that's _why we're rash even though we're in Slytherin, or cunning while we're in Gryffindor. I'm not stupid, and you should take your own damn advice!"

"Speaking of which, Kiru," Chessie said calmly eyeing the snake behind her. "Where did you get that snake?"

"Noki? Eh, he followed me a few hours ago. He can't seem to leave me alone," Kiru shrugged.

"A basilisk for a familiar," Dumbledore paled to an ashen gray. "This is most disturbing. The last time that a basilisk came into Hogwarts was two and a half years ago."

"Don't remind me," Severus, Harry, Chessie, and Hermione all growled and moaned. "That thing almost destroyed us all!"

"Yeah, if Harry-kun hadn't killed it," Kiru pointed out. "The answer is still no, and will remain as a no until further notice. Now get off of our turf before I let Orochi get his way."

Dumbledore paled as he grabbed a small amount of floo powder and used Severus' fireplace to get back to Hogwarts. Snape grinned in delight at Kiru's words, and hastily looked away from Kiru's familiar until she started laughing. Severus raised an eyebrow, and Kiru explained that Orochi's stares didn't have the normal murderous gleam to them since it was her familiar. Its piercing stare could only kill or petrify if she allowed it, which was almost never unless she was angry, or unless the person Orochi was hunting had tried to kill her on numerous accounts. This left few options, although Kiru still wanted to see the snake she had gotten so attached to while in her first year.

Orochi was happily chatting with Harry before the sun went down, while Kiru and the others were now a little more at ease with the serpent.


End file.
